How to look after fruit trees in the month of February. Read our tips on the work to be performed on fruit trees in a garden or orchard in order to keep them in good health. Fruit trees are now in dormancy, and so this is a good time of year for planting new trees. There are many other jobs that need to be performed in order to ensure that both the trees and their immediate environment are conducive to tree health and good cropping. and capable of producing good fruit. Some types of fruit tree can be pruned in February. If you have fruit stored for the winter, keep an eye on the fruit to ensure that it stays in good condition.
Fruit tree management in February
- Apple, pear and mulberry trees can be winter pruned in February. Read more about how to prune an apple tree.
- The Mirabelle de Nancy plum, peaches, nectarines and apricots are coming close to the pink bud stage. If the trees are outside and not under cover, they should be covered using a double layer of garden fleece, to stop the frost destroying the blossom buds/flowers. When it is a nice sunny day and the flowers have opened, don’t forget to uncover the trees for pollination to take place unhindered. Watch a video tutorial on how to protect an apricot tree from frost.
- If, when plums, peaches, nectarines and apricots are in blossom, there are no insects about, use a soft brush to gently stroke the blossoms to trigger the various natural hormones/growth processes, which will hopefully lead to fruitset.
- Do not carry out any form of pruning on plums, peaches, nectarines and apricots at this time of the year, as it may result in an infection of “peach leaf curl,” a fungal disease. If you had trouble with this disease last year, make sure no old leaves are still underneath the trees, as these will produce the spores which may initiate another infection. If you can stop the leaves from becoming damp or wet, that will further reduce the chances of infection. Watch a video tutorial on how to protect against peach leaf curl.