Many fruit trees are capable of growing up into the canopy layer .. but I would not recommend any of them to be grown to that size - the fruit becomes too difficult to harvest! Keeping them pruned to understory heights (up to 12 foot, in the case of our pear trees) makes it easier to get to those pears, and they tuck in nicely at the edges of the pecan tree's spread. Nut trees are GREAT for the canopy, since no harm comes to the nuts when they fall from the branches in the fall. I'm working on writing the list for understory trees for temperate food forests tonight and tomorrow (maybe the next day, too .. there's a LOT of them)
Exactly; personally I want fruit trees that I can harvest most of it just standing on the ground, or perhaps from a basic 6' ladder. I'll be older and creakier by the time they really get mature, and climbing taller ladders or buying more equipment at that point does not appeal to me at all. Happily we already have some very large, mature black walnuts and hickories on our place, but as you said I can still reap my share of that harvest easily. All I have to do is gather some off the ground before the local wildlife eats them all. I've been wondering about understory trees etc to plant near them. Looking forward to your list!
@@catholicbeforeamerican4889 I have not released them to the garden unrestricted - right now, robins and thrushes are keeping the slug and snail population in check, and they are doing a great job. Wild birds, wild wasps, wild lizards, wild frogs, and wild snakes can do everything that needs to be done for pest control: adding livestock is not making things EASIER, just changing the parameters. Great question, btw!
My kids said they saw the compost your enemies shirt online and almost bought for me for Father’s Day. Then they decided I would think it distasteful. When I started showing vids with you wearing it my eldest laughed and said that they should have bought it after all. 😂
I remember when you did this similar video last year. I went out and bought Ann's book and it was life-changing. I did my summer solstice prune last week! Thanks for always making me think harder in the garden.
And my full sun plants are growing in the dappled shade under the big trees too. It's the only way to keep them from drying out too much in this ridiculous heat. They're very happy there, and doing well.
Hello David. I always try not to miss any of your videos. I work a lot by there's no excuses. I can't believe there's people like you , sharing all those great information and ideas. I have you as an example. Hope you always smiling like you do , and have great health and great moments with your family and your fruits trees!
Years ago, my dad trimmed the bottom branches off an Australian pine, in the summer. They were in his way mowing the lawn. By the next morning, mom's favorite tree because it shaded the afternoon sun from the window where she did her sewing, 35' was dead. Ever since then, I've been terrified to trim a tree in the summer.
Your grocery row system finally made sense to me with this video (insert heavenly light and angels singing). You describe it as a "food forest under control". That really appeals to me. I do love the idea of a food forest, but by and large, the food forests you see just tend to let nature take its course, and tend to be quite wild. While I do find them stunningly beautiful, I also find them a bit unsightly and inappropriate, at least in a suburban Central New York setting, like I'm in. I've been doing a victory/row garden type thing for decades, as has been done on this property for 3 generations now. I try to keep it neat and tidy. You've inspired me to begin adapting it towards permaculture, with more perennials and fruit trees in the mix. It doesn't have to be a wild and tangled "mess". Thank you!
You can do what I like to call organised chaos. Our front yard food forest is planted in a more wild state. But we prune and maintain its structure so its not all overgrown. Its the best of both worlds and most of our neighbours love it. Only our next door hates it, but that's because she's a older lady that thinks gardens need to be prim proper English style.
My husband thinks I’m a butcher too ☺️ I started with dwarf fruit trees and I keep all my trees under control… thanks so much for reenforcing my belief in keeping fruit trees at arm’s reach
You would know about Tom. My Pro tip on my deciduous trees is prune summer growth right around the solstice right before the rainy season comes on out of our dry here in Florida. Then that's your same marker for throwing down your summer cover crops. Move two months forward from that date you get around mid September which is a perfect way to remember your fall garden interplanting. 🤙🏼 Keep up the good work as always Dave.
My favorite youtube channel! Thanks heaps for this video, my fruit trees are getting a prune this week, every time I watch you I learn so much. Thank you!
That’s amazing David! We just planted our first two ‘Trust’ variety apple trees this year in our permaculture garden. Things may work differently (in some ways) because of our ‘far north’ climate, but keeping the permanent residents in our garden manageable is definately not one of them. Thank you, this was very eye-opening and informative. We appreciate any and all information you provide. Peace!
Thanks for your work Im learning a lot. My roses grew a thick crop of weeds when i fertilized them with coffee grounds and eggshells.. no worries i just used those weeds to fertilize my garden. 😄👍
Im one of the people in the tropics, so my primary fruit trees are citrus and as a begginer i thought i should let them get big. However i think im on time to prune them a bit back so thats what im going to do as soon as i get a better tool. Its also necessary because my mandarine, while prolific, is mostly thin banches, it needs to fatten up to support the yield, reglardless of if i thin it. Your videos have helped me to slowly lose the fear of killing them. Im also builging courage to chop off the height of my mango because in 3 years it as grown practically nothing and the trunk is just a thin, long stick.
I remember reading that in the book Grow a Little Fruit Tree about keeping everything in sight and preventing waste from much taller under pruned fruit trees. I love the way it fits into the grocery row garden system you designed. My Moringa from all the rain is trying to become my canopy, 🙄 and my Mulberry is trying to do it even faster and it is supposed to be the Ever bearing which I thought was more shrub like, still grows like crazy during our wet summers down here in South Florida. TY DTG, and love the shirt too.
I watched one of your older videos about this a few weeks ago and gave the fruit trees a haircut! The no-till song gets stuck in my head nearly every time I pick up a shovel... thankyou?
I'm using my chicken tractors to carve out grocery rows right now and hoping to use them for the fall garden. Hopefully they'll do better than the spring garden lol
David, I tip prune my fig and volunteer Peach this is the second season on the volunteer 2 Peach one wants to be tall and the other ones a nice short Bush not even five feet tall so I'm gonna go out and cut the top off with the one that's already taller than the fence I did cut it back this spring so I'm gonna go do it again it's real real bushy thank you so much for this video
I'm running the salatin style Harepen and lately I've been just casually pruning when it is time and giving the rabbits all the fruit tree cuttings, they are also eating the small yellow succulents that are growing in the yard and it is so nice seeing the grass finally coming in. Something like that with a living walkway in the garden? Sign me up.
They chew on the bark too, so it breaks down when I chop and drop quicker. I love it. I got all fired up about it last year and I love the Harepen got 8 rabbits in mine right now was expensive though
Also loved the video David I plan on making a Florida food forest at my aunt's it is gonna be great hopefully will get woodchips thrown on and everything else I can find & just build the topsoil for two weeks & then head back up to Michigan. I won't be there long enough to really plant much but I'll see what I can get going.
The biggest fruit tree ive ever seen was a massive apricot tree in idaho at a old farm my uncle lived in that looked like a dang redwood, over 100 years old and still produces tons of fruit only problem is you gotta pick the ripe fruit up off the ground before the bugs get to them , still blows my mind when i think about that tree.
Thank your for permission! I hard prune every other tree/shrub I have except fruit trees. I don't know why they intimidate me. We had a nice hard rain today, so everything will be good and hydrated tomorrow morning. None of them are huge, so should do ok and produce fruit. Heck, I have a Methley plum that is only about 18" tall and produced 7 fruits this year (the top died back). My fruit trees are about to get a haircut!
Bought the book earlier in the year on your recommendation, then purchased a bunch of bare root fruit trees and watched them grow. This past Saturday I followed the recommendation of pruining at solstice and can't wait to see the results. Thanks for all that you impart to us.
Yes remember when I chopped my lemon tree. Our friend said it was going to die. Then I did a big chop of my father in laws mango tree. He said it was gonna die. Well they were wrong, both tree grew healthy and produced more fruit.
thank you. Thanks to you, I bought Ann Ralph's book and planted my trees last year. Time to do the solstice prune. I love my Compost your Enemies tank top. Gotta get one for my sister now...
This just what I need. Looking forward to plant out our plot in Belize next year. Interested to see how tropical fruit trees take to this management approach.
The best advice I ever received from an arborist was that if you're asking yourself "Should I cut that one?" Then, the answer is "YES! but you should've done it three seconds ago! " Aside: Thanks for sending me to your brother's channel. I try to make snarky comments...Or just something to feed the algorithm. (It's all about that "engagement" right?) He's doling out some great stuff and I enjoy it. Also, he said something about you always tracking dirty bare feet around but I can't substantiate that accusation.
Great video, keep up the good job. I’m currently trying to grow my persimmon tree and growing it in a tight space and your video will help me navigate that process. Thank you
Thank you for this. I saw the Dave Wilson Nursey videos too, and learning about this style of management has been a great relief to me. We're fortunate to have room for full-grown trees if we want, but looking a decade or two down the line I just don't want to have to buy more equipment to harvest them or climb up tall ladders. P'S. I will also be trying this technique on a couple small black walnut trees.
@@davidthegood right? I mean, why not. I have several on the property already, and more seeds than I know what to do with, so if I ruin a couple it's not a disaster.
Keep an eye peeled for tree sales sponsored by the University and other groups. We bought several bare-root trees that way this year, both fruit and decorative, all native and appropriate for TN. I don't know if they have anything planned for this fall but they've been doing it for years every spring.
Its interesting this, because I had a disagreement with someone a few months back. They were adamant that fruit trees needed space and needed to get full size. Me planting mine close in a food forest system would not work. Worse I planted one set in a 4 in 1 hole. He couldn't grasp the fact I don't want a large apple tree say giving me 100kg of apples and I prefer 4 x 25kg of apples instead. Trying to explain I am not a farmer and I want variety didn't sink in either. He swore that my garden would fail...... 2 years down the line all our fruit trees bore massive amounts of fruit, and we had to start giving away food (we donated it to charities that gave us food when we had none). He finally is starting to come round.
David, Just notices my fruit trees are at the point where they are just about finished with their spring growth and I need to do my summer pruning. I'm hoping I can tell the difference between fruiting buds and the growth bud to save more of the fruiting buds. With the grocery Row gardening, we all like the idea of planting dozens of varieties. But for people on a tight budget or limited space, are there critical veg or fruits to plant (I know it varies according to region / zone) where they will help people survive. I know root crops take center stage like taters, then Beans, and all the varieties of squash and pumpkins. Corn is great but somewhat of a troublesome plant for a home gardener due to space and inputs to get a good yields and I have not yet found a Squirrel, Raccoon, Deer resistant variety. In regards to Fruit Trees... I have not had a harvest off of 4 Apple trees and 2 Pear trees for many years. Something has changed in the biosphere. It get brutally cold in the Spring after the Trees wake up and begin to bloom and grow. Even grafts freeze and fail some years so far 2 out of 3 years of grafting failed. Last year I only lost maybe 10% of them. In short, could you lay out a compressed Survival Grocery Row garden where people and focus on just a handful os annuals and the same with perennials to start? Peace, Walter
That's a good idea. I would go heavy on the calorie crops, like cassava, potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, chestnuts, bananas or whatever grows a lot of calories in your area, then interplant with medicinals and highly nutritious veggies.
@@davidthegood this is what I did last year, my first year in the tropics. First I found out what is growing good and easily. I would suggest trying also peanuts and pumpkin for high calories.
Saw in one of your comments that most of your trees are young enough they are not yet producing. My situation is my trees are just old enough (6 to 8 yrs) they've become fairly productive and have fruit on them right now. Can/should summer pruning be performed immediately after fruit drop (versus sacrificing harvest)? I have made shaping cuts during the dormant season so they aren't out of control large... but some do have vigorous tall leaders I'd like to keep from getting out of control. Said it before, but will keep on saying it... MUCH appreciate the content! 👍
Not necessarily. Some trees will regrow okay. Best time for a major cut on most species is right before they wake up in spring. Look up "stumping" avocados. And pollarding/coppicing. It's a fascinating rabbit hole.
I am THRILLED to find out about this method! When I plant the garden foodforest that lives in my head into reality this will be how I grow my fruit trees. THANK YOU!
PERFECT TIMING! You mentioned in a video that you were hoping someone would try this with a nut tree. Well, your'e in luck. I have 2 squirrel planted pecan trees. They are a few feet taller than me, so I need to do this now! I was thinking I had to wait until winter, until I watched one of your other videos recently. QUESTION- they are like 2 feet apart, should I go ahead and cut one down? Or just prune both?
I've read that black walnut is one tree that responds well to summer pruning. Apparently if you prune them in other seasons they "bleed" too much and become more susceptible to disease. I do not know if that applies to other nut trees as well. We have some small black walnuts scattered around the place. There are enough of them that if I mess up a couple it won't be a disaster, so I'll give the summer pruning a try on one or two.
@@davidthegood oh duh... now that you say that, I remember seeing you do that with 3 or 4? fruit trees. I will do some pruning this week if the forecast is dry.
I live in Australia and we have 15 trees on our block. We are always working to keep them smallish (though one or two got quite large before husband knew about pruning in summer). You mentioned pruning around summer solstice. I assume that is only for trees that have finished fruiting? Summer solstice for us is right before Christmas and we have pomme fruits that don't finished until February.
AWESOME to know this has been going on for thousands of years! Years ago I had an apricot tree,it got 6 feet tall and not yet spring,I trimmed its dead branches, or what I thought were dead branches and come spring, nothing, no flowers or new growth, did I kill that apricot tree? :( Thanks for sharing David, and greetings for the Good Family from Querétaro!
I purchased the little fruit tree a couple of years ago. Great info and it encouraged me to purchase lots of fruit trees. However, my citrus has a lot of fruit on it to ripen this fall...when should I prune those? *Love the shirt 🙂
Good evening, I live in south Louisiana and I have white peaches, figs, and loquats in pots. Do I prune them now as you stated or should I wait? Thanks I love your channel.
Our rabbits absolutely love apple leaves and small branches. The leaves are full of minerals for them and chewing up the branches keeps their teeth in good shape. Our laying hens eat the leaves too, but they're not as excited about it as the rabbits are. From what I've read, nearly any fruit tree's leaves are good for fodder. Animals can also eat moderate amounts of fruit, just keep the seeds or pits away from them. Apparently those can cause real problems if the critters eat too much.
Hello my friend. I'm just now starting to clear my land for a spring garden. Is it too late (1st July) to start a worm bed or a compost pile? I live in north west Georgia
But... Do they fruit? Have a tiny space for trees and would love to use this method, but the reason I want trees is the fruit! So how do I prune to get that? 😁 Love your music by the way. ❤️
Loved this, I just got a bunch of fruit trees and have zero idea how to care for them. Definitely going to prune them heavily since I'm quite a short little lady. I have really tall choke cherry trees that are here from the previous owner and they're starting to crowd out my garden light. Any tips for getting un-tended trees under control?
We are in Portugal and our summers are hot and dry, but our fall and winter gets a lot of rain. When would you suggest pruning our fruit trees to keep them small?
We are in an extreme drought herein Corpus Christi Texas. Should I prune my nectarines, orange, grapefruit, and figs now even though we are in drought? Or should I wait until we got a normal rainfall season? They look healthy and beautiful because I've been hand watering them.
I have "Grow a Little Fruit Tree"... why haven't I read it yet?! I best get on that today! Thank you for the informative video. I'm desperately trying to grow some fruit trees in my small front yard. For trees that need a buddy for pollination, do they need to be planted close together? (Specifically apricot & apple.)
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Many fruit trees are capable of growing up into the canopy layer .. but I would not recommend any of them to be grown to that size - the fruit becomes too difficult to harvest! Keeping them pruned to understory heights (up to 12 foot, in the case of our pear trees) makes it easier to get to those pears, and they tuck in nicely at the edges of the pecan tree's spread. Nut trees are GREAT for the canopy, since no harm comes to the nuts when they fall from the branches in the fall. I'm working on writing the list for understory trees for temperate food forests tonight and tomorrow (maybe the next day, too .. there's a LOT of them)
I really want that list!
Exactly; personally I want fruit trees that I can harvest most of it just standing on the ground, or perhaps from a basic 6' ladder. I'll be older and creakier by the time they really get mature, and climbing taller ladders or buying more equipment at that point does not appeal to me at all.
Happily we already have some very large, mature black walnuts and hickories on our place, but as you said I can still reap my share of that harvest easily. All I have to do is gather some off the ground before the local wildlife eats them all. I've been wondering about understory trees etc to plant near them.
Looking forward to your list!
How are your ducks doing keeping the slugs out
@@catholicbeforeamerican4889 I have not released them to the garden unrestricted - right now, robins and thrushes are keeping the slug and snail population in check, and they are doing a great job. Wild birds, wild wasps, wild lizards, wild frogs, and wild snakes can do everything that needs to be done for pest control: adding livestock is not making things EASIER, just changing the parameters. Great question, btw!
Yes, Cashew, Cocoa, and Coffee can grow
But, the Canopy should not be very dense
My kids said they saw the compost your enemies shirt online and almost bought for me for Father’s Day. Then they decided I would think it distasteful. When I started showing vids with you wearing it my eldest laughed and said that they should have bought it after all. 😂
Get one of your favorite feeling t-shirts & a couple permanent markers.Have them customize you one by hand and add little touches of your garden 💝🏵️🥰
I remember when you did this similar video last year. I went out and bought Ann's book and it was life-changing. I did my summer solstice prune last week! Thanks for always making me think harder in the garden.
I remember that video too
I set out with this intention but after the 107° degree heat in Texas I may have decided shade sounds good right about now.
Ikr...
Grow a passionfruit trellis
@@danielnaberhaus5337 what does this accomplish?
@@danielnaberhaus5337 ✔️
Already got one.
And my full sun plants are growing in the dappled shade under the big trees too.
It's the only way to keep them from drying out too much in this ridiculous heat.
They're very happy there, and doing well.
Hello David. I always try not to miss any of your videos. I work a lot by there's no excuses. I can't believe there's people like you , sharing all those great information and ideas. I have you as an example. Hope you always smiling like you do , and have great health and great moments with your family and your fruits trees!
Years ago, my dad trimmed the bottom branches off an Australian pine, in the summer. They were in his way mowing the lawn. By the next morning, mom's favorite tree because it shaded the afternoon sun from the window where she did her sewing, 35' was dead.
Ever since then, I've been terrified to trim a tree in the summer.
There are specific details online for almost every tree you can think of and when it's best to prune them.
@@dogslobbergardens6606/videos shame that wasn't available before my dad trimmed that tree.. It was the 80s I think. mom held a grudge.
Definitely recommend the “Grow A Little Fruit Tree” book. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I agree with you David and have been vigorously pruning my trees and shrubs just like you are doing. I live in Jamaica. Bless 🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲
Your grocery row system finally made sense to me with this video (insert heavenly light and angels singing).
You describe it as a "food forest under control". That really appeals to me. I do love the idea of a food forest, but by and large, the food forests you see just tend to let nature take its course, and tend to be quite wild. While I do find them stunningly beautiful, I also find them a bit unsightly and inappropriate, at least in a suburban Central New York setting, like I'm in.
I've been doing a victory/row garden type thing for decades, as has been done on this property for 3 generations now. I try to keep it neat and tidy. You've inspired me to begin adapting it towards permaculture, with more perennials and fruit trees in the mix. It doesn't have to be a wild and tangled "mess". Thank you!
Thank you - that is wonderful.
You can do what I like to call organised chaos. Our front yard food forest is planted in a more wild state. But we prune and maintain its structure so its not all overgrown. Its the best of both worlds and most of our neighbours love it.
Only our next door hates it, but that's because she's a older lady that thinks gardens need to be prim proper English style.
Love the shirt. We should compost everyone in DC.🤣🤘
Book arriving tomorrow.... Have some seeds from your daughter's Etsy site coming as well.
My husband thinks I’m a butcher too ☺️ I started with dwarf fruit trees and I keep all my trees under control… thanks so much for reenforcing my belief in keeping fruit trees at arm’s reach
You would know about Tom. My Pro tip on my deciduous trees is prune summer growth right around the solstice right before the rainy season comes on out of our dry here in Florida. Then that's your same marker for throwing down your summer cover crops. Move two months forward from that date you get around mid September which is a perfect way to remember your fall garden interplanting. 🤙🏼 Keep up the good work as always Dave.
My favorite youtube channel! Thanks heaps for this video, my fruit trees are getting a prune this week, every time I watch you I learn so much. Thank you!
That’s amazing David! We just planted our first two ‘Trust’ variety apple trees this year in our permaculture garden. Things may work differently (in some ways) because of our ‘far north’ climate, but keeping the permanent residents in our garden manageable is definately not one of them. Thank you, this was very eye-opening and informative. We appreciate any and all information you provide. Peace!
Finally. Something I'm interested in on TH-cam
First year for a peach and a plum tree in the middle of my beds. Thanks for your inspiration
Thanks for your work Im learning a lot. My roses grew a thick crop of weeds when i fertilized them with coffee grounds and eggshells.. no worries i just used those weeds to fertilize my garden. 😄👍
Im one of the people in the tropics, so my primary fruit trees are citrus and as a begginer i thought i should let them get big. However i think im on time to prune them a bit back so thats what im going to do as soon as i get a better tool. Its also necessary because my mandarine, while prolific, is mostly thin banches, it needs to fatten up to support the yield, reglardless of if i thin it. Your videos have helped me to slowly lose the fear of killing them. Im also builging courage to chop off the height of my mango because in 3 years it as grown practically nothing and the trunk is just a thin, long stick.
I remember reading that in the book Grow a Little Fruit Tree about keeping everything in sight and preventing waste from much taller under pruned fruit trees. I love the way it fits into the grocery row garden system you designed. My Moringa from all the rain is trying to become my canopy, 🙄 and my Mulberry is trying to do it even faster and it is supposed to be the Ever bearing which I thought was more shrub like, still grows like crazy during our wet summers down here in South Florida. TY DTG, and love the shirt too.
Thank you for sharing. I've got an apple that needs this. I didn't know what to do with it, but Now I do.
It was a little scary but I trimmed it. I put the cuttings in water with cinnamon and hopefully they grow roots to plant next spring.
How old is your Apple tree? I just may do the same.
@@sandraweiss1652
I think it's a few years old. One inch trunk. About 10 ft tall. I cut 2 ft off it.
I watched one of your older videos about this a few weeks ago and gave the fruit trees a haircut! The no-till song gets stuck in my head nearly every time I pick up a shovel... thankyou?
Thanks you for teaching!
Prayers for the cow to have a smooth delivery 💞
I LOVE THAT FOUNTAIN SHOT AND FONT on that intro!!!! Very sick
I'm using my chicken tractors to carve out grocery rows right now and hoping to use them for the fall garden. Hopefully they'll do better than the spring garden lol
David, I tip prune my fig and volunteer Peach this is the second season on the volunteer 2 Peach one wants to be tall and the other ones a nice short Bush not even five feet tall so I'm gonna go out and cut the top off with the one that's already taller than the fence I did cut it back this spring so I'm gonna go do it again it's real real bushy thank you so much for this video
Wow 👌 you should show the results next yr
I thinking about doing some espalier apple, pear, and peach trees this fall
That would be fun.
Espalier is a whole fascinating topic. You can keep it very simple or make stunning, beautiful sort of living art... that is also productive.
I will miss seeing this food forest but I am excited to see what they need garden.
I'm running the salatin style Harepen and lately I've been just casually pruning when it is time and giving the rabbits all the fruit tree cuttings, they are also eating the small yellow succulents that are growing in the yard and it is so nice seeing the grass finally coming in. Something like that with a living walkway in the garden? Sign me up.
They chew on the bark too, so it breaks down when I chop and drop quicker. I love it. I got all fired up about it last year and I love the Harepen got 8 rabbits in mine right now was expensive though
Also loved the video David I plan on making a Florida food forest at my aunt's it is gonna be great hopefully will get woodchips thrown on and everything else I can find & just build the topsoil for two weeks & then head back up to Michigan. I won't be there long enough to really plant much but I'll see what I can get going.
Sounds awesome.
I will miss seeing this food forest but I am excited to see what the new garden will become.
The biggest fruit tree ive ever seen was a massive apricot tree in idaho at a old farm my uncle lived in that looked like a dang redwood, over 100 years old and still produces tons of fruit only problem is you gotta pick the ripe fruit up off the ground before the bugs get to them , still blows my mind when i think about that tree.
Spectacular I'm sure
I have a compost your enemies tank and hoodie and they are my favs!❤ wear them all the time! 😊
Soundtrack at the end … good stuff.
wonderful.....I wish more people treated trees as just another plant in the garden but it is very difficult to convince people to try.....great job.
Thank your for permission! I hard prune every other tree/shrub I have except fruit trees. I don't know why they intimidate me. We had a nice hard rain today, so everything will be good and hydrated tomorrow morning. None of them are huge, so should do ok and produce fruit. Heck, I have a Methley plum that is only about 18" tall and produced 7 fruits this year (the top died back).
My fruit trees are about to get a haircut!
I think your concern is perfectly natural; none of us wants to ruin a perfectly good tree if we can help it.
This video is just what I needed to "loose the fear" around pruning the precious fruit trees.
looks like I will be cutting back the new pear trees planted a year ago David...so much information ...soooo appreciated, stay blessed!
This is great information because I really want to plant fruit trees but I didn't think I have space.
Hi Dave! All my garden veg & fruit leaves are lushest green with Pee (urine) thanks to you. ♥
Hi! I subscribed. I am interested in growing dwarf trees. I was wondering if I can grow them inside my large green house.
I bought Ann Ralph’s book after reading Grocery Row. It’s great; thanks for the advice!
Hubby and I have planted a small Plumb and Apple Tree amongst our Spud and Veggie Patch and we hope to keep them pruned too x
Love the shirt
I love your humor! Keep up the good work!
Agree with Solstice pruning for height but would make thinning cuts, not the heading cuts that David shows.
Thanks Dawid . For the tip.❤
Bought the book earlier in the year on your recommendation, then purchased a bunch of bare root fruit trees and watched them grow. This past Saturday I followed the recommendation of pruining at solstice and can't wait to see the results. Thanks for all that you impart to us.
Great explanation of the edge. TY!!
Yes remember when I chopped my lemon tree. Our friend said it was going to die. Then I did a big chop of my father in laws mango tree. He said it was gonna die. Well they were wrong, both tree grew healthy and produced more fruit.
i just learned this too, pruning them actually is like their rehab, they regrow healthier and fruit better
thank you. Thanks to you, I bought Ann Ralph's book and planted my trees last year. Time to do the solstice prune. I love my Compost your Enemies tank top. Gotta get one for my sister now...
That is awesome.
Thanks for the fruit tree trimming tips ✨👍
This just what I need. Looking forward to plant out our plot in Belize next year. Interested to see how tropical fruit trees take to this management approach.
We do the same thing with our privets. They're huge trees that make a good bush.
Definitely going to get your book and I have started my food forest
The best advice I ever received from an arborist was that if you're asking yourself "Should I cut that one?" Then, the answer is "YES! but you should've done it three seconds ago! "
Aside: Thanks for sending me to your brother's channel. I try to make snarky comments...Or just something to feed the algorithm. (It's all about that "engagement" right?) He's doling out some great stuff and I enjoy it.
Also, he said something about you always tracking dirty bare feet around but I can't substantiate that accusation.
He is jealous because I am taller than him.
@@davidthegood Glad that I could, in some small way, help to stir the pot.
Always willing. Looking to combine this with cattle. You're a godsend brother. Thank you.
That's a great idea - would love to see how you do it.
Great video, keep up the good job. I’m currently trying to grow my persimmon tree and growing it in a tight space and your video will help me navigate that process. Thank you
Thank you
Great video, thank you so much!
Thank you for this. I saw the Dave Wilson Nursey videos too, and learning about this style of management has been a great relief to me. We're fortunate to have room for full-grown trees if we want, but looking a decade or two down the line I just don't want to have to buy more equipment to harvest them or climb up tall ladders.
P'S. I will also be trying this technique on a couple small black walnut trees.
I really want to try it on nut trees too.
@@davidthegood right? I mean, why not. I have several on the property already, and more seeds than I know what to do with, so if I ruin a couple it's not a disaster.
My grocery row garden is doing great. The plants really seem to like being mixed up. This is crazy fun! Thanks!
Good work!
Going to try it just finished the book. I was going to plant it this fall but I'm unable to find a bare root tree source. 7a TN.
Try Burnt Ridge Nursery and GrowOrganic.com in late winter for bare roots.
Keep an eye peeled for tree sales sponsored by the University and other groups. We bought several bare-root trees that way this year, both fruit and decorative, all native and appropriate for TN. I don't know if they have anything planned for this fall but they've been doing it for years every spring.
Thanks for the assistance.
Its interesting this, because I had a disagreement with someone a few months back. They were adamant that fruit trees needed space and needed to get full size. Me planting mine close in a food forest system would not work. Worse I planted one set in a 4 in 1 hole. He couldn't grasp the fact I don't want a large apple tree say giving me 100kg of apples and I prefer 4 x 25kg of apples instead. Trying to explain I am not a farmer and I want variety didn't sink in either. He swore that my garden would fail...... 2 years down the line all our fruit trees bore massive amounts of fruit, and we had to start giving away food (we donated it to charities that gave us food when we had none). He finally is starting to come round.
That is awesome.
Video is a huge help, thanks!!!🍎🍊🍐🍒
I am a super fan. 🙏🏾🌳
David,
Just notices my fruit trees are at the point where they are just about finished with their spring growth and I need to do my summer pruning.
I'm hoping I can tell the difference between fruiting buds and the growth bud to save more of the fruiting buds.
With the grocery Row gardening, we all like the idea of planting dozens of varieties.
But for people on a tight budget or limited space, are there critical veg or fruits to plant (I know it varies according to region / zone) where they will help people survive.
I know root crops take center stage like taters, then Beans, and all the varieties of squash and pumpkins.
Corn is great but somewhat of a troublesome plant for a home gardener due to space and inputs to get a good yields and I have not yet found a Squirrel, Raccoon, Deer resistant variety.
In regards to Fruit Trees... I have not had a harvest off of 4 Apple trees and 2 Pear trees for many years.
Something has changed in the biosphere. It get brutally cold in the Spring after the Trees wake up and begin to bloom and grow.
Even grafts freeze and fail some years so far 2 out of 3 years of grafting failed. Last year I only lost maybe 10% of them.
In short, could you lay out a compressed Survival Grocery Row garden where people and focus on just a handful os annuals and the same with perennials to start?
Peace, Walter
That's a good idea. I would go heavy on the calorie crops, like cassava, potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, chestnuts, bananas or whatever grows a lot of calories in your area, then interplant with medicinals and highly nutritious veggies.
@@davidthegood this is what I did last year, my first year in the tropics. First I found out what is growing good and easily. I would suggest trying also peanuts and pumpkin for high calories.
I've been wanting that on a t-shirt since i first heard it xD
ZonePushers must keep trees in check big time.
Did that to my Maha Chanook/Nam Doc Mai mango Frankenmango not too long ago
So what are you going to do with the branches, drop for mulch or make more trees?
Just dropping for mulch right now. I already have about 100 plants and trees in pots.
@@davidthegood but it would be possible to use the cuttingsto get new plants?
Saw in one of your comments that most of your trees are young enough they are not yet producing. My situation is my trees are just old enough (6 to 8 yrs) they've become fairly productive and have fruit on them right now. Can/should summer pruning be performed immediately after fruit drop (versus sacrificing harvest)? I have made shaping cuts during the dormant season so they aren't out of control large... but some do have vigorous tall leaders I'd like to keep from getting out of control. Said it before, but will keep on saying it... MUCH appreciate the content! 👍
Just ordered your book.👍
Thank you
espalier baby!! 😁✌️
David, you should cover proper pruning in this segment, always cut above a new leader. not just anywhere. your trees will thank you.
I guess I learned from the deer.
Hey Dave could you compost the sludge aka sold wast from a septic system and greas trap?
I probably wouldn't unless I knew what chemicals went into the system.
Thanks David. So what is the solution if you have a big tree and want to rein it back. Is it too late?
Not necessarily. Some trees will regrow okay. Best time for a major cut on most species is right before they wake up in spring. Look up "stumping" avocados. And pollarding/coppicing. It's a fascinating rabbit hole.
Excellent info!
I am THRILLED to find out about this method! When I plant the garden foodforest that lives in my head into reality this will be how I grow my fruit trees. THANK YOU!
love the emblem on the right side of your opening page ...in color the compost your enemies ...is that particular image available on a t-shirt?
PERFECT TIMING! You mentioned in a video that you were hoping someone would try this with a nut tree. Well, your'e in luck. I have 2 squirrel planted pecan trees. They are a few feet taller than me, so I need to do this now! I was thinking I had to wait until winter, until I watched one of your other videos recently. QUESTION- they are like 2 feet apart, should I go ahead and cut one down? Or just prune both?
Can you transplant one? It would probably take some heavier equipment. But worth it to have pecan trees.
I would leave them both to fight each other - that will help dwarf them.
I've read that black walnut is one tree that responds well to summer pruning. Apparently if you prune them in other seasons they "bleed" too much and become more susceptible to disease. I do not know if that applies to other nut trees as well.
We have some small black walnuts scattered around the place. There are enough of them that if I mess up a couple it won't be a disaster, so I'll give the summer pruning a try on one or two.
@@juanitagrace64jg I think they are probably too big to transplant successfully. I'd be worried about the other one's roots.
@@davidthegood oh duh... now that you say that, I remember seeing you do that with 3 or 4? fruit trees. I will do some pruning this week if the forecast is dry.
I live in Australia and we have 15 trees on our block. We are always working to keep them smallish (though one or two got quite large before husband knew about pruning in summer). You mentioned pruning around summer solstice. I assume that is only for trees that have finished fruiting? Summer solstice for us is right before Christmas and we have pomme fruits that don't finished until February.
Yes, I cut after fruit if possible. With these younger trees it's not an issue on most of them yet.
AWESOME to know this has been going on for thousands of years! Years ago I had an apricot tree,it got 6 feet tall and not yet spring,I trimmed its dead branches, or what I thought were dead branches and come spring, nothing, no flowers or new growth, did I kill that apricot tree? :( Thanks for sharing David, and greetings for the Good Family from Querétaro!
It should have sprung right back - mine did. Maybe it didn't like your winter or some root rot got it.
I purchased the little fruit tree a couple of years ago. Great info and it encouraged me to purchase lots of fruit trees. However, my citrus has a lot of fruit on it to ripen this fall...when should I prune those?
*Love the shirt 🙂
Thanks!
Good evening,
I live in south Louisiana and I have white peaches, figs, and loquats in pots. Do I prune them now as you stated or should I wait? Thanks I love your channel.
I’m wondering the same thing- I’m from south Louisiana and I have figs on my fig tree now.
I would prune them if you want them smaller, but if not, don't worry about it. Containers tend to dwarf trees.
also I really like your music
Just wondering.. what do you use your cuttings for?
Leaves for fertilizer or burn for biochar maybe?
Just trying to learn 😊
Our rabbits absolutely love apple leaves and small branches. The leaves are full of minerals for them and chewing up the branches keeps their teeth in good shape. Our laying hens eat the leaves too, but they're not as excited about it as the rabbits are.
From what I've read, nearly any fruit tree's leaves are good for fodder. Animals can also eat moderate amounts of fruit, just keep the seeds or pits away from them. Apparently those can cause real problems if the critters eat too much.
I let mine dry down, run them through the chipper then use the chippings for mulch.
I usually just toss them down as mulch.
please share what varieties you grow as i am in your same grow zone!!!!!
Hello my friend. I'm just now starting to clear my land for a spring garden. Is it too late (1st July) to start a worm bed or a compost pile? I live in north west Georgia
I'm confident new worm beds and compost piles will take off very nicely if you start them now. You have plenty of warm weather ahead of you there. :)
You'll do great now. Just don't put the worms in too hot an area. The compost will love the heat.
But... Do they fruit?
Have a tiny space for trees and would love to use this method, but the reason I want trees is the fruit! So how do I prune to get that? 😁
Love your music by the way. ❤️
You should put a booklet out on pruning in temperate to tropical.
Loved this, I just got a bunch of fruit trees and have zero idea how to care for them. Definitely going to prune them heavily since I'm quite a short little lady. I have really tall choke cherry trees that are here from the previous owner and they're starting to crowd out my garden light. Any tips for getting un-tended trees under control?
Just found your channel and I'm going back through all of your content. Should have gone with David the Hilarious.
Why not prune at 6 ft instead of 4 or so. I watch your videos every day. Yes I’m here in Florida. WPB
I cut it lower because then it can regrow to a little over my head.
This is awesome!
Are you going to try to propagate your cuttings?
Oh no - I have too many trees in pots already.
We are in Portugal and our summers are hot and dry, but our fall and winter gets a lot of rain. When would you suggest pruning our fruit trees to keep them small?
Question can I prune away now in South Florida ? My Moringa tree is grow tall.
We are in an extreme drought herein Corpus Christi Texas. Should I prune my nectarines, orange, grapefruit, and figs now even though we are in drought? Or should I wait until we got a normal rainfall season? They look healthy and beautiful because I've been hand watering them.
I might wait. It's extra stress.
I have "Grow a Little Fruit Tree"... why haven't I read it yet?! I best get on that today! Thank you for the informative video. I'm desperately trying to grow some fruit trees in my small front yard.
For trees that need a buddy for pollination, do they need to be planted close together? (Specifically apricot & apple.)
They don't need to be that close.
that t-shirt... oh my....