Latest News.

Updated: 31.03.2023.

On Sunday 2 April we come to the Wynyard Foreshore Market. We will bring Blueberry plants at $ 14 each.

 Perhaps we will also find a few fruit?

We may also have other plants.

From home we sell by appointment only.

 Please check this spot before the weekends for more information.

Please note:

You can now find us at markets by looking for a white twin cab, flat tray ute with a trailer.

 We will notify you of our various market visits here on our homepage and sometimes we may advertise our market visits in GUMTREE under fruit and ornamental trees or Blueberry plants.

We have decided to put some information on tree training at the bottom of this page. Many people ignore the need for tree training and a few years later they wonder what  they should do with an extremely tall fruit tree which has not many fruit or the fruit are at great heights or are of poor quality.

Of course, we only  try to help people, If people want to leave their trees unpruned or prune them in another way that is fine.

I tried to explain some knot making. But if you don't know how to make a proper knot ,you can still train your trees, you must just remove the string before it starts strangulating the branch.

We will come to markets even if showers are predicted (but not if heavy rain is coming). If on this site you see an announcement saying that we come to a particular market, then we come.  Please check this space on the evening before the market. We usually do not advertise monthly markets.

Please think carefully before you order a tree. It is a lot of work to prepare the order and take it to the market and it is sad if the tree then does not get picked up.

We like to stress again that it is our policy not to exchange or replace trees. If you don't agree with this policy then we invite you not to purchase plants from us. It is a sad fact that most trees die from some sort of neglect and not because something was wrong with the purchased plant.
Remember: Quite a few people have lost their trees to rabbit damage. Rabbits will ring-bark all varieties of trees as most of us have learned from bad experience.

Possum-control too is important.

If you have lots of questions about establishing a small orchard, or making a large possum fence, or disease issues, etc. please send us an E-mai

Tying branches on fruit trees.

The growth angle of branches in a tree influences their vigour or fruit-fullness. The steeper a branch grows the more wood growth the branch produces. A horizontal branch on the contrary stops growing in length and begins to form fruit buds instead. When training fruit trees this fact is taken into consideration. Especially in good orchards, trees must fruit soon, to reduce tree growth and to bring financial returns. Especially Central Leader (CL) trees are suited for branch-training, therefore most commercial orchards today adapt that training system.

In trees with poor branching habits, e.g. cherries, branches are often tied down rather than pruned out.

For the home grower the comparison between a trained tree and an untrained tree is important. Most untrained trees grow strongly vertically with little branches at the bottom and most fruit at great heights at a later stage. Most people want their branches and fruit at reasonably low level. When you buy your tree you should check at what level the trees were branched in the nursery. Cherry trees should be branched very low, between 500 – 700 mm height from the ground. Pear and apple trees should be branched between 700 and 950 mm from the ground.

To tie the branches we need to use thin but strong string which lasts at least 3 months in full sun. Usually thin hay-baling twine is used. We need to use knots which don’t close and strangulate the branch before it stays in its position. Usually the branch will stay in its position after 2 – 3 months  active growth and the string must be removed before it strangulates the branch. Dormant times don’t count when branch training.

Branches on trees should not be tied completely horizontal; otherwise excessive shoot growth on the upper side of the branch may be provoked. Usually branches are tied down at an 80 – degree angle to the Central Leader. Branches should never be tied down in a way that a bend is created. At a bend many upright, unwanted shoots would form.

The bottom end of the string can be tied to a concrete block, a brick or a stake which has been put into the ground. Sometimes it can also be tied to a lower branch or the trunk of the tree.

Properly trained apple tree.

As the trees crop heavily, the branches

get a downward bend and renewal pruning must occur after every cropping.

Cherry, plum, pear, apple and quince trees need training. Vigorous trees need more training than slower growing trees..

Peach and nectarine trees need adequate pruning to obtain a suitable tree. We don't train peach and nectarine trees with strings.

Knot  1 ( upper end knot on string ). Knot must not close.

Instructions for right-handed people.

A.)   Hold the end of an endless string with two hands about 100 – 200 mm apart.

B.)   With the left hand pull end of string over the branch and down. With the right hand hold the string about 100 – 200 mm from the end below the branch.

C.)  With the left hand fingers now hold both strings to free the right hand.

D.)  Now use the right hand to put the end of the string over the right string and turn it around the string once.

E.)   Now again hold both ends of the string with left hand.

F.)   With the right hand above the spot where the strings cross, take the right string and turn it twice anticlockwise and leave at least 10 mm opening. Hold in that position with the right hand.

G.)  With the left hand put the end of the string through the opening held open with the right hand. Catch the string end with the right hand and pull it through all the way.

H.)  Now pull the string held in the left hand.

I.)     Knot should now be complete and should not tighten.

J.)     

K.)  Knot  2 ( lower end of string ). Knot must not close.

A.)  Cut string at right length.

B.)  Hold string with both hands and put around the bottom branch.

C.)  Hold both strings with left hand fingers with left end of string crossing above the right string.

D.)  With right fingers take string downwards and bring it up inside the opening. Repeat the same one more time (there must be two turns). Now pull the strings in the right hand to twist the windings.

E.)  With the left hand fingers hold both strings temporarily. With the right hand put string end below the other string and around it and pull it down through the opening and pull the string-end tight.

Please send us an Email if you have any questions about tree training.