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PROJECT 3: PRUNING
CHERRY trees are very popular in gardens, putting on an uplifting annual display of floral clouds.
Unlike most fruit trees, they should not be pruned in winter due to the risk of bacterial canker and silver leaf disease entering open wounds, so this is a job for summer.
Only prune if necessary – your goal is to remove any branches that are dead, diseased or damaged. You can also remove branches that are crossing over each other but in general be cautious.
The more you remove, the longer the tree will take to recover and will produce fewer flowers and fruit the following year.
Q
I’M a pensioner and I would like your advice on what evergreen shrubs to grow at the back of my bungalow – to around 6ft in height. I’d like them to flower for some of the year.
A
Teresa Brennan via email
THE ground at the base of a wall or house is usually very dry, so when planting, do so at least a foot away from the base to allow moisture from the roof to get to the roots and prepare the ground well before planting with compost and/or well-rotted manure to condition it.
A wall can provide really good heat and shelter. I don’t know which way your house is facing but if it’s sunny, an evergreen ceanothus could be good and you’d have those amazing blue flowers in spring.
Pyracantha is a shrub that trains well against a wall and has the benefit of flowers as well as wonderful orange or red berries in winter.
Garrya elliptica is another beautiful evergreen which has lovely silky tassels in winter and could make a feature against your house.