I spent a total of 3 hours today trimming fruit trees with long heavy tools. Let's all have a moment of silence for my arms.
.
.
.
Last year we took out a bunch of branches that were crossing each other inappropriately, and took out a lot of the width and thinned the inside. This year's goal is to chop off the top completely (ugh, so many non-fruiting watersprouts!) to mostly achieve the final shape. It's been a long process because you're not supposed to remove more than 1/3rd of the tree's mass at once.
The neighbors did their plum tree last week, so I measured its height (11ft) and am making our plum tree the same. Hey, their tree always looks fantastic and their fruit is within reach.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
11 feet high is just about at the bottom of the dish there, where the red line is. The goal is to cut off everything above that line! My dad and I packed the green waste bin full of branches, and there's still a pile big enough to fill another bin.
Yeah, so, I still have like 1/3rd of the work to do. My dad helped too, and I may need to ask my husband to do some later, since my arms may actually fall off.
Here is a bonus pic, since you made it this far.
I usually feel vaguely guilty whenever I trim trees... but this time it was just kind of peaceful under the snow of plum petals. There's hope for fruit this year, since the best branches will have access to much more sunlight after the trim.
.
.
.
Last year we took out a bunch of branches that were crossing each other inappropriately, and took out a lot of the width and thinned the inside. This year's goal is to chop off the top completely (ugh, so many non-fruiting watersprouts!) to mostly achieve the final shape. It's been a long process because you're not supposed to remove more than 1/3rd of the tree's mass at once.
The neighbors did their plum tree last week, so I measured its height (11ft) and am making our plum tree the same. Hey, their tree always looks fantastic and their fruit is within reach.
BEFORE:
 | |
| Star added for point of reference. The nude tree on the left is an apple... it'll be next. |
AFTER:
 | |
| Red star is on the same branch tip. |
11 feet high is just about at the bottom of the dish there, where the red line is. The goal is to cut off everything above that line! My dad and I packed the green waste bin full of branches, and there's still a pile big enough to fill another bin.
Yeah, so, I still have like 1/3rd of the work to do. My dad helped too, and I may need to ask my husband to do some later, since my arms may actually fall off.
Here is a bonus pic, since you made it this far.
 |
| Me, using my dad's badass battery-operated chainsaw-on-a-stick. The geobin watches in disapproving silence. |
I usually feel vaguely guilty whenever I trim trees... but this time it was just kind of peaceful under the snow of plum petals. There's hope for fruit this year, since the best branches will have access to much more sunlight after the trim.
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