Recording when your fruit trees flower
Recording when your fruit trees flower

Knowing when your trees flower, and observing how well they flower, how long the blossom period lasts, and whether the flowers are affected by anything (e.g., rain, frost, hail, disease or wind) is a crucial step in becoming a good garden dete [...]

Research common pests & diseases in your area
Research common pests & diseases in your area

Our organic pest and disease control strategy is dependent on getting to know your enemy—and the first step is to figure out which of the common pests and diseases are (or are likely to be) a problem at your place. Filling out the tables in th [...]

Soil arthropod survey
Soil arthropod survey

It’s important to have a diversity of soil organisms to create a healthy and functioning soil ecosystem. All the different types of animals play an important role in cycling nutrients (like carbon, nitrogen, sulphur and phosphorus) and returni [...]

Soil arthropods (shredders): do a survey of your soil – activity
Soil arthropods (shredders): do a survey of your soil – activity

In addition to the all-important micro-organisms (bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and protozoa), and our master soil-building friends the worms, soil also contains many types of larger bugs, called arthropods. There are thousands of different spec [...]

Soil food web
Soil food web

We regularly introduce you to one of your underground friends. This week we show you how they all fit together into an amazing, complex and intriguing world beneath your feet – the soil food web. Read the article in Summer - Week 3.

Soil health checks
Soil health checks

The very basis of growing great organic food is to have healthy soil, so in this article we introduce a few simple tests you can do at home—for little or no cost—to assess the state of health of your soil. This will help you get to know your s [...]

Summer tree review
Summer tree review

Noticing how your fruit trees have performed this summer will give you vital information to guide which trees need more work. Read the article in Summer - Week 12.

Take a nutritional snapshot of your trees – activity
Take a nutritional snapshot of your trees – activity

Taking a nutritional snapshot of your trees will help raise awareness of the nutritional status of your trees, help you plan what needs to happen in the future, and also diagnose potential problems you’re having right now. Find the activity in [...]

Understand the soil food web
Understand the soil food web

The soil food web is the most important part of your garden, and in fact of our entire ecosystem—without it, our soils would be sterile and there would be no such thing as organic food. The organisms in the soil are responsible for building so [...]

Using your Fruit Tree Diary – activity
Using your Fruit Tree Diary – activity

Keeping good records is an important part of growing great fruit. This week we’ll go in-depth into the Fruit Tree Diary, and learn how and why recording important info about your trees can be helpful. Find the activity in Autumn - Week 9.

Work out your chill factor
Work out your chill factor

Chill factor is unique to where you live, and simply describes the number of hours your fruit trees are likely to spend below 7˚C each winter. It’s definitely worth working out the chill factor at your place, because  in order to get good frui [...]

Write your thinning plan – activity
Write your thinning plan – activity

Writing a thinning plan will help you to know how much fruit to take off each of your trees to get the maximum benefit Find the activity in Spring - Week 8.