October Healthy Harvest Habits

Welcome to the days of shorter days and colder temperatures. Some pome trees continue to hold onto their fruits this month, but most fruit trees are beginning to tuck themselves in for winter dormancy in October.

Let’s take a look into how we can help fruit trees winterize!

3 Healthy Harvest Habits to cultivate in October:

1. Gentle Tidy

Mow leaves around the tree trunk to provide leaf mulch and get rid of potential places pests can overwinter.

Clean up any remaining fruit and/or plant debris that looks unhealthy, as this can contribute to fruit pest life cycles. Take a look at Crop IPM for pest and disease information as well as growing information by plant; not just for fruit trees, but all Ontario crop plants.

Leave the other leaves in your yard. They will break down and return to the soil over the winter! Leaves provide protection for native pollinators who need to have a safe place to sleep for the winter.

2. Mulch

Add mulch around the base of your tree, but make sure to keep the mulch ring about 15cm away from the tree trunk.

Use bark mulch, straw, or arborist wood chips. Avoid using compost or manure now, as the nutrients may prevent the tree from entering into dormancy!

3. Water

Proper hydration helps roots store nutrients and offers protection from winter damage.

Continue to water your tree deeply until just before the ground freezes.

Looking for more information on caring for fruit trees and growing fruit from a recommended source?

Join Not Far From The Tree, home growers, arborists and small scale orchardists from across North America and around the world in 5-star-rated organic fruit tree care education with Orchard People’s interactive, instant access courses.

Find courses like: Certificate in Fruit Tree Care; Fruit Tree Pruning Masterclass; Managing Fruit Tree Pests & Disease; Soil Essentials for Fruit Trees; and so many more!

Or, tune in to the Orchard People podcast! Join live and submit your questions to an expert guest, or catch the show later on your favorite platform.

Watch the live video on the Orchard People YouTube page at 1:00 PM on Tuesday and watch the recorded video on the YouTube Video Podcast Playlist.

Listen on RealityRadio101 at 1:00 PM on Tuesday and download the audio podcast after the show.