Fruit tree owners are getting a helping hand thanks to a new program from LUSH Valley.
It’s launching a new idea called the ‘Prune Along Program’, where local tree care experts will work alongside owners to teach the basics of tree care.
The program is a new initiative to help improve the quality of fruit for LUSH Valley’s Fruit Tree Project.
Program Coordinator James McKerricher says the initiative was started because the program is seeing decreased quality in trees.
“From our Fruit Tree Program we’re seeing right now a lot of trees that are being neglected and I just see this as being such a valuable asset in our community. We have so many fruit trees of all varieties here in the Comox Valley, its really quite the incredible assets but if we dont maintain them then the value of these trees is really diminished,” says McKerricher.
He added that ‘Prune Along’ gives tree owners a hands-on experience that you can’t get anywhere else.
“It’s really something you can’t learn by reading a book or searching the internet so by allowing homeowners to care for their specific tree and learning how to envision what that tree is going to look like 5, 10 years down the road that’s really going to make that skill set much more approachable to the average person.”
The two hour, one-on-one sessions will be tailored to meet the needs and goals of each homeowner and will focus on the essentials like creating an ideal tree shape for ease of harvest, optimizing sun penetration and airflow to increase fruit quality, and pruning to promote vigour.
If you are a fruit tree owner and are interested in the sessions, or would like to know more contact James McKerricher at [email protected].
