Fall Fruit Tree Care starts with the best advice!
Start with us, here.
This fall we caught up with Susan Poizner of the to talk all things Fruit Trees. Graciously, Susan was so giving of her time and gave us an exclusive interview. In addition to reviewing Fruit Tree pruning basics, we also reviewed best Orchard care practices.
What’s more, we put to ‘compost’ a few ongoing debates from our own orchard community, at the Food Bank Community Gardens. Until now, we were equally divided on whether wormy apples go in the compost or not!
We were fortunate to learn directly with Susan Poizner, from Orchard People. (And you can too! Her latest fruit tree grafting book is ready for sale online January 2024) Also, back in 2018, we participated in her hands on pruning basics course. Not only was that an invaluable course to help us restore our fruit orchard, it also showed us first hand, what a great teacher Susan was.
In this interview, she updated us on proper tips and maintenance reminders for Fruit Orchard fall care. As a result, our apple trees at our Toronto Food Bank community garden are going to be blooming with joy this coming spring!
About Our Fruit Orchard at the Daily Bread Food Bank
As a Sustainable Environmental Gardening Society, we are overjoyed to have a decades-old fruit orchard. Knowing it is a vital part of our community gardens, in the west end of Toronto, we strive to do all we can to grow apples for everyone in the community. Because of this kind of commitment, urban farming is thriving in the Greater Toronto Area. Certainly, when you join us, you are doing your part in Toronto’s west end.
We welcome all levels of urban gardeners to join us in growing food and our community, one plant at a time. We hope you enjoy this segment (a refresher for orchard enthusiasts for sure) on Dos and Dont’s of fruit orchard care. Susan also settled our group’s on-going debate on WHAT can and cannot go in our composters, in our gardens.
Let us know if you would like more interviews or simple how to garden guides from our local environmental gardening society: LEGS – Lakeshore Environmental Gardening Society.
Happy Gardening! Interview by Monika Meulman
Apple Bite Size Bio about Susan Poizner:
Our Orchard Expert Extraordinaire
Susan Poizner of OrchardPeople.com: a journalist, filmmaker and urban orchardist.
A while back, she created OrchardPeople.com because it was exactly what she needed when she planted her first fruit trees in 2009.
References: https://orchardpeople.com/about-us/
Fruit Tree Care – Best Practices (never stop!)
- Care for your orchard all year long
- Every season brings with it different requirements for fruit trees
- Plan ahead (Winter maintenance and pruning sets you up for spring and summer success)
- Compost is for healthy materials only
- Weekly monitoring with small clean ups can eliminate big headaches later
- Every year is different – be determined and consistent
- Keep learning
Watch our Interview with Susan – Susan Poizner shares tips on Fruit Orchard Care.
Keep Learning with her Book – Hot off the Press
Susan is launching her new fruit tree grafting book this January. Luckily, this is just in time for the pruning season before spring thaw (pruning time will be here before you know it)
Fruit Tree Grafting eBook version will be on Amazon on January 19th! Get Your Own Copy here!
Connect with Susan Poizner – And become an Orchard expert.
Find her on these channels:
Susan Poizner. info@orchardpeople.com
LEARN ABOUT FRUIT TREES:
COURSES: Learn.OrchardPeople.com
BOOKS: Growing Urban Orchards and Grow Fruit Trees Fast
RADIO SHOW AND PODCAST: The Urban Forestry Radio Show and Podcast
ISA Certified Arborist: ON2327A
SOCIAL MEDIA: