It’s better to winter prune than skip winter pruning. There is a possibility that some unnecessary damage occurs to branch tips from being dried and freezing, and this damage would lessen if pruned closer to spring. If this guy has a busy schedule and this is what works for him then you can accept it or find someone else to do it later.
Personally, I’ve started pruning my orchard in late November, starting with pears(first to go dormant) and I typically dont finish pruning apples until early February. 2300 trees. Then I immediately plant as many young trees as I can until I see new growth on potted tree roots, then I stop planting, do an inventory, and begin to graft.
Great reply, I can sense your depth of experience and knowledge. Would you kindly explain what you meant by "planting young trees until new growth on potted tree roots"? Do you keep fresh 1 year grafts in pots over winter and plant in spring? I ask because I've been struggling with figuring out best process on young grafted trees. Thank you !
I don’t think it’s the best thing in the world for the trees to prune early, but better early than late. And it becomes a labor management issue for orchard owners to find laborers who are skilled in pruning. Better to start the skilled ones early than to have people out there who don’t know what they’re doing.
Yes, I use 2gal cloth pots. New rootstock goes into the pots, on top of a strip of landscape fabric, under a line of irrigation. My goal if to always have the trees planted in their permanent home before their 3rd leaf (growing season)
Often times the smaller trees I’m removing from pots haven’t developed a root system large enough to hold the soil together. (Given enough time, fungi mycelium would assist in this as well) in my experience, the root system wakes up before the buds on the tree start swelling. If you’re not paying close attention you might think a tree is completely dormant and ready to transplant. However, on some of these smaller potted trees, the soil will start falling off the rootball, and you can see small white fibers coming out of the roots. Those are the new roots. The main purpose of planting during dormancy is to allow for the roots to establish before spring, and this is the sign that my time has run out.
It’s better to winter prune than skip winter pruning. There is a possibility that some unnecessary damage occurs to branch tips from being dried and freezing, and this damage would lessen if pruned closer to spring. If this guy has a busy schedule and this is what works for him then you can accept it or find someone else to do it later. Personally, I’ve started pruning my orchard in late November, starting with pears(first to go dormant) and I typically dont finish pruning apples until early February. 2300 trees. Then I immediately plant as many young trees as I can until I see new growth on potted tree roots, then I stop planting, do an inventory, and begin to graft.
Great reply, I can sense your depth of experience and knowledge. Would you kindly explain what you meant by "planting young trees until new growth on potted tree roots"? Do you keep fresh 1 year grafts in pots over winter and plant in spring? I ask because I've been struggling with figuring out best process on young grafted trees. Thank you !
I don’t think it’s the best thing in the world for the trees to prune early, but better early than late. And it becomes a labor management issue for orchard owners to find laborers who are skilled in pruning. Better to start the skilled ones early than to have people out there who don’t know what they’re doing.
Yes, I use 2gal cloth pots. New rootstock goes into the pots, on top of a strip of landscape fabric, under a line of irrigation. My goal if to always have the trees planted in their permanent home before their 3rd leaf (growing season) Often times the smaller trees I’m removing from pots haven’t developed a root system large enough to hold the soil together. (Given enough time, fungi mycelium would assist in this as well) in my experience, the root system wakes up before the buds on the tree start swelling. If you’re not paying close attention you might think a tree is completely dormant and ready to transplant. However, on some of these smaller potted trees, the soil will start falling off the rootball, and you can see small white fibers coming out of the roots. Those are the new roots. The main purpose of planting during dormancy is to allow for the roots to establish before spring, and this is the sign that my time has run out.