Apple pruning tends to intimidate people.  It is often a question I get from people who really don't know where to start.  I always send them this video. It is my go to apple pruning video for regular trees since its so quick and simple.  The pruned apple tree doesn't look like much in winter, in fact it might look a little stark compared to other trees on your property, but one of the main purposes of pruning apples this way is to help with fruit production rather than aesthetics.  Hopefully the simple shapes of these trees give those that are nervous about pruning apples some comfort.  While you don't want to take off more than a third each year, most apples are vigorous enough and thrive when they get a good pruning.

As also mentioned in the Pruning Haskaps post.  
1.  Prune with clean and sharp pruners.
2.  Keep a disinfectant in a spray bottle handy.  A 10% solution of bleach or rubbing alcohol works well to spray on between bushes.
3.  Always begin with the 3Ds of pruning Dead , Diseased, Damaged and then move on to opening up the canopy and addressing any crossing or rubbing branches.

​On May 10, 2025, we are hosting the Ardrossan Recreation and Agriculture Society in conjunction with the Strathcona County Library Bookmobile for a pruning workshop.  If you're looking for some hands on information on pruning, come join us at 10:00 on the farm.

I know most people despise pruning raspberries but it is one of my favourite things to prune.  I think most people don't like it because they don't know how to do it (and possibly because they're not trellised well.  My fruit productions professor at school just made it so easy to understand and I really like the low risk factor in pruning raspberries.  It would be really hard to prune an established stand and do any kind of damage.  This is a great quick overview of pruning raspberries (both summer and fall bearing).  

A few other things to keep in mind is:

• They are very tough so pruning them first thing in the spring helps to ease the pressure from your other gardening tasks later in the season.
• Get good tough gloves that can withstand the thorns and w​ear long sleeves.
• ​Once all the dead canes have been removed, keep the 5 strongest canes per meter (or yard).  This allows for good airflow and seems to make harvesting better (in my opinion).

As also mentioned in the Pruning Haskaps post.  

1.  Prune with clean and sharp pruners.
2.  Keep a disinfectant in a spray bottle handy.  A 10% solution of bleach or rubbing alcohol works well to spray on between bushes.
3.  Always begin with the 3Ds of pruning...Dead (although that is usually the main point of pruning raspberries), Diseased, Damaged and then move on to thinning.

​On May 10, 2025, we are hosting the Ardrossan Recreation and Agriculture Society in conjunction with the Strathcona County Library Bookmobile for a pruning workshop.  If you're looking for some hands on information on pruning, come join us at 10:00 on the farm.

Spring is the time for really looking at your haskaps (a.k.a. honeyberries) and doing some light pruning.  Haskaps are great because they are extremely hardy so they can be one of the first fruits to prune without the risk of a spring storm causing stress.  The true experts on haskaps are the researchers at the University of Saskatchewan.  Here they give a good overview of how easy they are to prune.

As always, when pruning consider a few beneficial practices to ensure that your bushes remain healthy.

1.  Prune with clean and sharp pruners.
2.  Keep a disinfectant in a spray bottle handy.  A 10% solution of bleach or rubbing alcohol works well to spray on between bushes.
3.  Always begin with the 3Ds of pruning...Dead, Diseased, Damaged.  Once you take care of those branches, you are well on your way to having a bumper crops of haskaps.

On May 10, 2025, we are hosting the Ardrossan Recreation and Agriculture Society in conjunction with the Strathcona County Library Bookmobile for a pruning workshop.  If you're looking for some hands on information on pruning, come join us at 10:00 on the farm.