As an annual operation and prior to any kind of
pruning a number of basic tasks must be performed. Any dead, damaged and diseased wood, and suckers at their point of origin, must be removed from all trees and shrubs. Crossing branches and thin crowded shoots should be cut out, and thin weak shoots removed completely or cut hard back. Shoots which are showing reversion, a common
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15. May 2013 by Dave Pinkney
Categories: Fruit Trees, Pruning |
Tags: guide to pruning, prune, pruning |
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Most trees and shrubs grown in a garden are purchased from a nursery. It is useful for the gardener to know how these were raised, for it does have some bearing on
pruning.
Woody plants may be on their own roots, having been raised from seed, cuttings or layers; or they may have root system (rootstock) of one plant, and the above-ground part (scion) of another as a result of
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13. May 2013 by Dave Pinkney
Categories: Fruit Trees, Pruning |
Tags: guide to pruning, prune, pruning |
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To prune or not to prune? This is a question that always seems to face gardeners. Most feel they ought, but are not sure why or how. It is accepted practice for apple trees, and in the rose garden, but rather haphazard elsewhere. Too often it is only performed when a shrub or tree begins to encroach on its neighbour, a path or a building.
Pruning is often looked upon as the
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09. May 2013 by Dave Pinkney
Categories: Fruit Trees, Pruning |
Tags: guide to pruning, prune, pruning |
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This page comprises a comprehensive A-Z list of the 100 most popular trees, shrubs and climbers. The
pruning requirements of each are explained, and in the majority of cases we discuss whether the plants are tender or hardy in the North European climate.
The letters following each generic name are abbreviations, as follows:
C Conifer
CI Climber
D Deciduous
E Evergreen
S
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07. May 2013 by Dave Pinkney
Categories: Fruit Trees, Pruning |
Tags: guide to pruning, prune, pruning |
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Fruit syrups are an asset in the store cupboard. Pleasant to the taste, they make excellent sauces to serve with puddings, for flavouring sweets or as a basis for fruit drinks.
Blackcurrant syrup is soothing for a cold in winter, and other flavours make delicious iced fruit cups for parties.
If syrups are to be made regularly it is well worth while investing in special
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25. March 2013 by Dave Pinkney
Categories: Preservatiobn |
Tags: Blackcurrant, fruit syrups, Jams Jellies and Preserves |
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SALTING BEANS
The beans maybe either french or runner beans. Leave whole or slice, according to size. The salt must be good-quality block salt and ground down before use. Weigh beans and salt in order to get the right proportion of each. Failure to do this may mean that the beans will not keep. Use large earthenware or glass jars, or small crocks with lids.
To use the
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25. March 2013 by Dave Pinkney
Categories: Preservatiobn |
Tags: preservation, Sauerkraut, vegetable preservation |
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CANNING BY HOM-CAN OR DIXIE CANNING MACHINES
Fruit and vegetables can be canned: fruit in a hot-water sterilizer and vegetables in a pressure cooker.
PRELIMINARY PREPARATION
As for bottling, fruit should be chosen with care, be ripe but firm, and should be prepared as for cooking, ie. topped and tailed, in some cases peeled, stoned and sometimes halved, and in every case
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25. March 2013 by Dave Pinkney
Categories: Bottling and Canning, Jam Making |
Tags: canning, Home canning, Pressure cooking |
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BOTTLING
The principle of preserving fruit by bottling depends firstly upon the destruction by heat of all the moulds and bacteria in the air, fruit, or water in the bottles; and secondly, on the exclusion of air during sterilization and the complete sealing of the bottles by vacuum afterwards. Acid in the fruit maintains sterilization and consequently acid fruits are the
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25. March 2013 by Dave Pinkney
Categories: Bottling and Canning |
Tags: bottling, canning, fruit, pickles, pickling, vegetables |
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There are no special rules for these. Generally speaking the main ingredients are salted overnight, or for some hours before being simmered with spices and vinegar. It is advisable to cover the jars with a specially prepared paper to help to prevent evaporation of the contents. Preparations containing vinegar are liable to dry out and so chutneys, pickles, etc., must be well
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25. March 2013 by Dave Pinkney
Categories: Chutneys, Pickling |
Tags: Chutney, chutneys, pickle, pickles |
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SPICED CRAB APPLES
3 lb. good sound crab apples: 2 lb. sugar: 1 pint vinegar.
Spices: 1 root ginger, well bruised; pared rind of half a lemon: 2-in. piece stick cinnamon: 2 to 3 cloves: 1 teaspoon whole pimento (allspice).
Wash and pick over the crab apples. Put the vinegar and sugar into a saucepan, heat slowly, stirring occasionally. Add spices, tied in a small muslin
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25. March 2013 by Dave Pinkney
Categories: Jam Making, Pickling |
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