Does pruning fruit trees leave you stumped?
Knowing when to prune is as important as knowing how. Understanding the seasonal cycle of fruit trees is essential to planning, shaping, and enjoying fruitful and healthy trees. Learn to tune in to the character and needs of trees in your care. Use different pruning tools, make pruning decisions and put them into practice. Orchard Learning Pruning courses are
custom-made. Every course begins with a small group session in HOCO’s rich and diverse outdoor
learning environment. Participants are introduced to the seasonal pruning cycle.
They meet the best tools for the job, work with real trees, and learn by doing.
Follow-on one-to-one sessions take place by arrangement - at HOCO and/or the
garden, allotment or community project where your trees grow. Courses take place in HOCO’s rich and diverse outdoor learning environment. Learners will work with real trees, and learn by doing. They are led by Shannon Smith, a knowledgeable and down-to-earth tutor.
Pruning courses (2022) 3 places (each date) Course fee includes a 3-hour small group session and follow-up 3 hours one-to-one session(s). Courses cover:
Pruning for Beginners* - Dormant season – Apple & pear trees Pruning for Improvers** - Dormant season – Apple & pear trees Pruning Plums, Damsons & Greengages Pruning for Improvers - Delayed Dormant
season – Apple & pear trees
Pruning for Beginners - Growing season – Apple & pear trees Pruning for Improvers - Growing season – Apple & pear trees Apply using this link: https://goo.gl/forms/0niaxJCUPhNlzSNy1 *Beginners - no previous pruning experience, or less than two years experience. **Improvers - a minimum of two years pruning experience and/or participation in one, or more, pruning courses. Book an hour with The Apple Tree Lady Shannon Smith - our Orchard Learning co-ordinator - is offering one-hour fruit tree consultations in gardens and alloments within a 2km-ish radius of Horfield Organic Community Orchard. The fee is £20, which includes a £5 donation to HOCO. Available from Monday 17 May 2021, by advance booking only. Shannon will share her expertise, and give practical and down-to-earth advice about fruit trees of all ages and conditions. An hour with the
Apple Tree Lady is highly recommended by Alison, a recent Orchard
Learning participant, “I’ve learned more about apples in 30 minutes
than I have in the whole of my life!”
Please book using this link: https://forms.gle/FXEA31GezBy6H9fq6 or contact us with any questions. Get Growing Fruit Trees 2022 - an
introduction over a growing season Saturdays: 19 March, 21 May, 16 July, 17 September, 2pm - 4.30pm This course is fully booked. or Sundays: 20 March, 22 May, 17 July, 18 September, 2pm - 4.30pm This course is fully booked.
Course fee: £125, £115 (H&DAA / AOG member), £90 (HOCO Friend member), £75 (HOCO Harvest-share member) 6 places (each course) No previous experience needed. · March - Know your trees, their care needs, site, and soil ·
May - Pests, diseases,
disorders and resilience · July - Pruning - why and how · September - Harvest, storage & preservation Praise from previous year's Get Growers: "A very useful course - very sensible and down-to-earth information from a very experienced and well informed teacher." "Lots of practical advice. Great to see things develop through the year, and be in a relaxed and pleasant environment." "I'm looking forward to a much improved crop of apples in future years, and thoroughly recommend this course." Ask for more information about Orchard Learning courses using this link: https://goo.gl/forms/0niaxJCUPhNlzSNy1 or contact us for a pdf form, and with any questionsOrchard Learning Programme 2022 This course is fully booked Course dates, outline & information 9-months from February - October - see below for dates The programme is designed for participants with some experience
of growing tree fruit (e.g. apple, pear, plum). It
is ideal for anyone involved with a community orchard, as well as
professional and home gardeners looking after more than a handful of
different trees. Course fee £250 (plus HOCO Harvest-share membership*, which involves 20+ volunteer hours)** or £350 (plus HOCO Friend membership*, includes a £50 donation to HOCO) **Bursaries available - get in touch for a chat Deadline for applications: Friday 28 January 2022 (This course is now closed to new bookings.) Ask for an application pack using this link: https://goo.gl/forms/0niaxJCUPhNlzSNy1 or contact us with any questions. Orchard Learning
is a hands-on and
holistic programme that blends group sessions with one-to-one learning.
Participants
will gain experience, knowledge, skills, and confidence to care for
fruit trees
for years to come. HOCO will host an advanced Orchard Learning
Programme in 2023 designed to develop skills for training
and organising volunteers. The 2022 course (or an equivalent) is a foundation for the follow up.
The Orchard Learning Programme guides participants through a growing season in an established community orchard. The programme begins as days lengthen, soil is stirring, and trees, as well as pests and diseases, are waking up from dormancy. It follows the fruiting arc from blossom, pollination and fruit set, to development, ripening and harvest. During the course participants learn to tune in to, and be guided by, the characteristics and needs of individual trees of different ages, varieties, and conditions.
*Participants agree to be/become members of Horfield Organic Community Orchard, and can join as a Harvest-share or Friend member (more information about membership here). Members share responsibility for looking after a pioneering community orchard, and helping to organise successful community events. Here's what participants say about the Orchard Learning Programme: "A unique opportunity to share in the management of an orchard with a highly knowledgeable leader. Prepare for action! You'll learn a lot." Colin "A wonderfully complete immersion in the year of the orchard." Rebecca "Growing apples, pears and plums? If you want practical knowledge and valuable skills, then this is the place for you." Rob "Shannon is a great teacher as well as being phenomenally knowledgeable about fruit growing. I can't think of a better way to learn than having hands-on experience of every form and variety of fruit tree." Mary Book an hour with The Apple Tree Lady Shannon Smith - our Orchard Learning co-ordinator - is offering one-hour fruit tree consultations in gardens and alloments within a 2km-ish radius of Horfield Organic Community Orchard. The fee is £20, which includes a £5 donation to HOCO. Available from Monday 17 May 2021, by advance booking only. Shannon will share her expertise, and give practical and down-to-earth advice about fruit trees of all ages and conditions. An hour with the
Apple Tree Lady is highly recommended by Alison, a recent Orchard
Learning participant, “I’ve learned more about apples in 30 minutes
than I have in the whole of my life!”
Please book using this link: https://forms.gle/FXEA31GezBy6H9fq6 or contact us with any questions. Get in touch if you want to be the first to hear about new Orchard Learning courses.
Use this link: https://goo.gl/forms/0niaxJCUPhNlzSNy1 or contact us for a pdf form, and with any questions.
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