The fruit trees we planted last winter, mainly in Brown St, are doing
really well despite the dry start to summer. There are a few fruits on
several of the older trees that will give us a taste this year of
what's to come!
Waitati Open Orchards (WOO) was also involved in planting edible
plants around the new skateboard park, in conjunction with the A&P
Society and Blueskin Nurseries. A hedge of Chilean guavas (Myrtus
ugni) was planted on a dry bank, and in other areas a plum and apple,
gooseberries and worcesterberries to be enjoyed by hungry skaters.
Appeal for stall goods. At the upcoming WEGie Harvest Markets WOO will
have a fundraising stall. The first of the three monthly markets is on
Sunday, 19 February. We are fundraising to purchase more trees by
selling donated produce, preserves, cooked food, garden plants and
tools or anything related to gardening and harvesting. Please drop
off items that you are able to donate at the Village Potager, cnr
Foyle St and Doctors Point Rd (look for the sign) before the Sunday,
or bring them along on the day before the market begins at 10:30am.
For you home fruit growers: This month's tip is to try the lost art of
summer pruning of fruit trees. Pruning in January or February is great
for older established trees, very vigorous trees that tend to be shy
at cropping, and for espaliers. Summer pruning slows down the growth
of branches and encourages fruiting, the opposite effect to winter
pruning. Pruning is much the same as winter pruning, cut out crossing
and crowded branches and then shorten unwanted new growth back to an
outward facing bud, leaving them about one centimetre long. Don't
prune the tips of branches that you want to keep getting longer, and
don't prune young trees.
Waitati Open Orchards is a group of keen folk on a mission to plant
fruit trees in public spaces around Waitati for all to enjoy. Email
waitatiopenorchard@gmail.com to join our mailing list, or contact
Jason Ross, 482 2625.
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From blueskin.co.nz and 'Blueskin News' published by Blueskin Media:
voluntary/non-profit community publishers in Blueskin Bay (Seacliff,
Warrington, Evansdale, Waitati, Doctors Point, Purakaunui), Dunedin,
New Zealand. All material sent to or published by us is "copyleft" in
the public domain and may be freely shared, archived, re-edited and
republished. If you want to credit the source it's "blueskin.co.nz".
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