In The Fruit Garden in January

Begin pruning apple and pear trees if you haven’t done so already. This is best done whilst they are dormant.

Try forcing rhubarb plants by placing an upturned bucket or bin over the crown. This will force tender pink stems to grow. 

Leave plums, cherries and apricots unpruned until the summer. Pruning these fruit trees now will make them susceptible to silver leaf infections.

Prune blackcurrant bushes, gooseberries and red currants to maintain a productive framework.

Continue to plant raspberry cane on sunny sites with free-draining soil.

Top Tip:

Make a polythene shelter for outdoor peaches and nectarines, to protect against peach leave curl.