The rainy season brings heavy rains, high winds, and hailstorms. Although the orchard and garden enjoy the extra water, the rains may damage the soil, fruits, and plants. Here are a few tips on minimising damage to Plants and fruits in your orchards and gardens.
Thinning Fruits
Fruit thinning is essential for quality fruits (https://subtropical-urban-eden.garden/?s=fruit+thinning), but it also protects the branches from breakage during heavy rains and winds. The fruits are also less likely to be damaged or get diseases from waterlogging and poor air circulation between the fruits or leaves.
Flower drop cannot be avoided in open spaces. However, it is a natural fruit thinner as the remaining flowers will produce larger, well-spaced fruits without additional labour to thin them.
Pruning Trees
The best time to trim trees is in the winter and dry summer. That time of year prevents fungi and other diseases from entering the plant wounds. They may be sealed with Vaseline gel or plant sealant. Unfortunately, there is a lot of secondary growth if pruning is done in winter, so we trim our prolific trees from July to October, just before they set fruit.
Pruning times are specific for each plant variety. For example, ever-bearing apple trees and grape vines may require pruning twice a year. Cut off dry, diseased, or weak branches. A well-pruned tree is less likely to break or topple over during heavy rains.
Training Trees
Training trees is essential to maintaining fruit productivity and strength, and balancing the weight of the branches on the tree. The fruits will be well distributed, and the trees will have good air circulation.
The spreaders ensure that the branches’ angles are obtuse (not acute), which prevents breakage when the fruits or hail weigh on the branches. Trimming longer, crowded, weaker and low-hanging branches. Ensure that the branches are all the same length and well distributed.
