Apple pruning

Finally it has stopped raining long enough for us to rush out and get done all those jobs that need doing. One of them, of course, is the winter pruning of the apple and pear trees, including our lovely apple arch. Trained over many years into a step-over espalier shape, the arch requires careful pruning to keep it in shape. The overall rule of winter pruning is never to do it in the wet or when frost is expected. However, in this mild wet winter, if we waited for a completely dry day, I think we might be waiting a long long time!