Bare deciduous trees are easier to work with in winter and the main fruiting trees to prune are the pome fruits – apples, pears and quinces, and fruit with a central core and seeds, writes gardening columnist JACKIE WARBURTON.

Winter means most orchard trees are dormant and can be pruned any time from now until the end of August.

If there are no diseases, all fallen fruit and leaves should be composted. 

Bare deciduous trees are easier to work with in winter and the main fruiting trees to prune are the pome fruits – apples, pears and quinces, and fruit with a central core and seeds. 

Apple trees are grown for fruit production, so knowing if a tree is tip-fruiting or spur fruiting will help with pruning.

Pears and quinces are spur growers, so they’re easier to prune and grow in smaller gardens. 

A DWARF fruit tree can be an option where space is tight. It doesn’t grow more than two metres tall and wide. With good branch pruning when they’re young, they shouldn’t need any ladder work in the future and will be easier to net. 

They don’t mind clay soils so long as there is drainage. A top up of compost and mulch in the spring will get them growing fast.

Now’s the time to prepare the soil for planting in late winter. Dig a good size hole and add gypsum or clay breaker. Add any compost that’s needed to be mixed with the existing soil and let it settle before planting in a few months’ time. Keep the new area watered and turned over until planting. 

BROAD beans are a terrific, versatile plant, unbothered by winter frosts, that grow strongly if planted in a sheltered spot. A legume, they give nitrogen back to the soil via their roots. 

They flower in winter. The main colour is white with a speck of black on the petals, but the crimson-flowered broad beans are a beautiful, deep-pink colour and can be used in the ornamental garden. 

Broad beans can also be used as a green manure crop and chopped into the soil at the beginning of spring flowering, added to compost at the end of winter or given to the chooks. 

A SWEET little plant that’s rare in habitat called the fuchsia heath (Epacris longifloral) is flowering now at the Australian Botanic Gardens. It needs good drainage and some protection from the frosts.

The one pictured above is unusual in that it’s all white – in general they’re red/pink to white.They really put on a flowering show late winter to early spring. Keep them weed free and mulched. 

Use only native fertilisers such as Bush Tucker that is low in phosphorus or a little dynamic lifter can be used in late autumn before the soils go cold

They can be fussy to grow and don’t like root disturbance. Plant in a protected spot when they are young and they should survive quite well, and flower right through winter when mature. 

Jottings

• Dig in cow manure around roses and water in.

• Plant wallflowers for late winter/spring colour.

• Use a heat bed to keep capsicums and basil growing.

• Keep watering the garden as frost dries the soil.

jackwar@home.netspeed.com.au