Extract from Irish Seed Savers

It’s that wonderful time of year when our exclusive collection of bareroot Irish heritage apple trees are available to purchase online! This is a unique opportunity to bring a piece of Ireland’s rich agricultural history into your garden or orchard. Each tree in our collection comes from traditional Irish varieties—many rescued from near extinction and grown with care to preserve their original, resilient genetics.

By planting native Irish apple trees grown and nurtured by Irish Seed Savers, you’re helping to preserve Ireland’s rich natural heritage. These apple trees provide food for pollinators, support local wildlife, and foster healthy soil biodiversity. Native apple trees are specially adapted to Ireland’s climate and soils, making them a natural fit for our ecosystems and a critical part of our landscape’s resilience.

Every purchase directly supports Irish Seed Savers mission to protect Ireland’s food heritage and ensures these precious varieties remain for future generations. Grown in County Clare, our apple trees are Guaranteed Irish and registered for the ACRES Scheme. Quantities are limited, so don’t miss this chance to add a piece of Ireland’s natural history to your landscape.

Visit our website today to browse the full selection and order your Irish heritage apple tree!

Winter pruning is essential to keep apple and pear trees healthy, productive, and in check. For those new to fruit tree care, this guide simplifies winter pruning essentials to help you shape a balanced, open-centered tree that will flourish come spring.

Top Winter Pruning Tips
Prune between November and March when trees are dormant.
Aim for an open, goblet-shaped crown to improve light and airflow.
Only remove about 10-20% of the canopy to avoid excess regrowth.
Tackle vigorous growth in summer to manage oversized trees.

Why Prune in Winter?
Winter pruning for apples and pears helps control size, improve air circulation, and boost fruit quality. An open-centered crown lets light penetrate the tree and encourages a healthy harvest by reducing pests and disease risk.

Before You Start
Choose a dry, mild winter day, and gather your tools:

Secateurs, loppers, and a pruning saw for cuts of different sizes.
A sturdy ladder, ideally a tripod type, for stability.
Gloves and eye protection – pruning can be scratchy work!

Step-By-Step: Winter Pruning Basics
Remove Dead, Damaged, or Diseased Wood
Start by cutting out any dead, damaged, or unhealthy branches. This is essential for maintaining the tree’s overall health.

Eliminate Crossing Branches
Look for branches that rub or cross, which can create wounds. Keep the healthier, outward-facing branches and remove the weaker ones to promote an open, goblet shape.

Prune Strong Vertical Growth
Cut back overly strong vertical shoots that grow towards the tree’s center to keep the canopy open. Leave shorter, weaker shoots (up to 20 cm long) as they won’t block light.

Shorten Last Year’s Growth
On each main branch, trim last year’s growth by about a quarter to a third, cutting above an outward-facing bud. This stimulates side shoots, where next year’s fruit will develop.

Mind the Fruiting Habits
Apple and pear trees produce fruit in different ways (on spurs, tips, or a combination). While modern pruning methods are relaxed, it’s wise to know your tree’s fruiting style:

Spur-bearers: Thin out old fruiting spurs (short, stubby shoots) to keep about 10-15 cm apart.
Tip-bearers and partial tip-bearers: Prune with caution to avoid cutting off fruiting wood. Trim longer branches by a quarter to reduce length but maintain fruiting potential.

Reduce Large, Mature Trees as Needed
For large or vigorous trees, shorten main branches by up to a third. Prune to a strong side-branch growing outwards to keep the tree open and manageable.

Overgrown or Extra-Vigorous Trees?
If your tree grows too vigorously despite regular winter pruning, add a summer pruning session. Summer pruning helps to reduce growth energy:

Cut back side-shoots longer than 30 cm, trimming them to 15 cm.
Focus on the most vigorous shoots, leaving less active growth unpruned.

Pruning Problems and Solutions
Apple Canker: Remove any canker-affected branches during pruning.
Lichen and Moss: Generally harmless, but heavy growth on young shoots might indicate poor vigor.
Biennial Bearing: Some trees produce uneven harvests, with large yields one year and sparse fruit the next. Pruning consistently each year can help reduce this effect.

With these straightforward steps, winter pruning doesn’t have to be daunting. You’ll enjoy the reward of healthier, more productive apple and pear trees that bring fruit (and beauty!) to your garden each year.

Happy pruning

Orlaith

As November settles in and the garden prepares for a long winter nap, there’s still plenty to keep gardeners busy! From planting late-bloomers to protecting pots and making use of fallen leaves, here’s your guide to making the most of these cooler days. Grab a warm drink and head outside for a little pre-winter prep!

Top Tips for November Gardening
Plant bare-root roses and hedges
Leave perennials with attractive seed heads
Insulate pots from frost
Start a leaf pile for free mulch
Layer bulbs in pots for spring color
Prep your pond before it freezes

1. Tidy Up, but Don’t Cut Back Too Soon
It’s tempting to chop everything down, but some plants, like Sedum and ornamental grasses (Miscanthus), look gorgeous frosted over. Leaving 15 cm of old growth on perennials helps protect plants from winter damage and provides shelter for garden wildlife.
*Leave seed heads of Phlomis and Echinacea for goldfinches.

2. Plant Bare-Root Roses
November is the prime time for bare-root roses. They’re affordable and adapt well, especially when planted before deep winter. Upon arrival, soak the roots in water for a few hours, then plant with the graft union at soil level.
*Top off with a good layer of mulch like compost or manure.

3. Make Use of Fallen Leaves
Raking leaves can feel endless, but those heaps have potential! Avoid burning; instead, collect non-evergreen leaves to decompose into leaf mould – a fabulous, nutrient-rich mulch for spring.
*Try a simple DIY chicken-wire frame to contain the pile.

4. Get Ready for Winter’s Snowy Blanket
Snow may look intimidating, but it insulates plants from harsher frosts. If snow gets heavy, clear only branches at risk of breaking. Appreciate the garden’s bare beauty – it’s a time to celebrate the structure of trees, shrubs, and formal hedges.
*Shrubby Cornus, or dogwood, is stunning in winter, with fiery stem colors from red to orange.

5. Protect Potted Plants
Outdoor pots need a bit of TLC in winter. Grouping pots together and wrapping them in bubble wrap or hessian helps insulate roots from the cold. Remember that not all terracotta pots are frost-proof, even if they claim to be frost-resistant.
*Place pots near walls for extra warmth and shield from cold winds.

6. Plant Tulips for Spring Splendor
November is the ideal time for tulips. Plant bulbs in well-drained soil or containers – they need depth (two to three times their size) and a sunny spot to thrive. For extended blooming, layer different types of bulbs in planters.
*Add coarse grit to improve drainage in clay-heavy soil.

7. Give Your Pond Some Attention
Before temperatures drop, scoop out any debris from the pond to prevent gas build-up under the ice, which can harm fish. If you haven’t already, cover it with netting to reduce fallen leaves.
*Float a small piece of polystyrene to keep a section of the pond ice-free.

8. Don’t Forget the Vegetable Patch
The veggie garden may look quiet, but it’s not over yet! Now’s the time to add a blanket of compost or manure mulch to protect from the inevitable rain.. You can also plant hardy broad beans and garlic to harvest in winter and early spring.

With these simple but essential November tasks, you’ll set your garden up beautifully for winter while ensuring a lively return come spring. So bundle up, get outside, and enjoy the last of autumn’s glow!

Happy gardening

Orlaith