07/06/2026
A mild start to winter.
Stonefruit - keep up with monthly copper sprays to protect against bacterial infections.
Use your preferred brand or formulation.
I choose to apply Copperoxychloride because it it recognized organically.
Get pruning underway because I have a gut feeling spring will come early after seeing the graphics of warm ocean currents in the pacific.
By mid July consider moving Coppers to fortnightly if you have leaf curl problems with Nectarines and Peaches.
If you see any fruit mummies on your trees - remove asap to mitigate brown rot twig infections.
Now is also a good time to apply Dolomite lime.
Slow acting into the soil profile.
Fruit trees really love the 10% magnesium input.
If you know your soil tends acidic you can safely apply at 200g per square metre.
Otherwise a maintenance dressing of 100g psm is helpful every second year.
Avoid applying your general fertilizers containing nitrogen until mid August or early spring growth.
Earlier application leads to N loss to atmosphere with winter rains and freeze/thaws, with less available for tree growth when you need it.
Remember my old maxim for home gardeners nervous about having a go with fruit tree pruning.
Focus on desired tree height and shape. Avoid leaving coat hangers - cut neatly.
Then the 4 D's - remove
* dead
* dying
* damaged
* diseased
and a 5th! Dangling.
This can be into the lawn mower zone, or where you might w**d spray around the base of your trees.
Also do so where heavily producing fruiting arms have dropped below the horizontal - perhaps reduce to half. This will invigorate the tree, stimulate replacement growth, and lessen limb breakage due to crop overload.
Please direct any fruit tree pruning requests direct to my mobile initially by txt - phone or WhatsApp. +64 21 568 224
Thankyou
Jeremy
