LUSH Valley is pleased to announce the launch of its ‘Prune-Along Program’ this season, where local tree care experts will work alongside participating tree owners to teach the basics of tree care.
Purchase your ticket on Eventbrite today and we will contact you to set a date between now and the end of March. (Details below.)
Each two-hour Prune-Along session will be tailored to meet the needs and goals of the homeowner and will focus on the essentials:
- creating an ideal tree shape for ease of harvest
- optimizing sun penetration and airflow to increase fruit quality, and
- pruning to promote vigour.
This program offers an opportunity for tree stewards to gain the skills to keep their trees healthy and productive for years to come which will hopefully ensure the fruit is of high quality and easy to harvest.
Program Details:
Cost: Each one-on-one home tree pruning session is 2 hours and will cost $150. (Sorry, bursaries are not available for this program.)
Eligibility: The program is intended for tree stewards who are physically able to maintain their trees but lack the technical skills or knowledge to do so.
Timing: Offered February and March 2020 by appointment. (We will work with your schedule to find a time and day that works best for you.)
The Details:
- Each session will be tailored to the needs and goals of the tree steward and will focus on the essentials of tree care.
- LUSH will provide all the necessary tools and ladders for the duration of your session.
- For safety reasons we only work on orchard ladders not exceeding 12ft – no rope work or tree climbing. Therefore, excessively tall trees may not be appropriate.
- All cuts will be made with hand saws, any tree requiring major saw work will need the assistance of a professional arborist.
Why run a ‘Prune Along’ program?
The Prune Along program is in line with our mission: “We support the Comox Valley in gaining food-systems skills and knowledge to increase food security, self-sufficiency, and local food production across the region.”
Our hope is that by empowering our community to care for existing fruit trees we can increase fruit quality and make harvesting easier and safer for our volunteers. At LUSH Valley we strive to distribute only fruit of the highest quality as the fruit we distribute reflects our respect for our community.
To make your appointment: Click here to purchase a ticket for a ‘Prune Along’ session you will be contacted by our Fruit Tree Program Coordinator, James McKerricher, to make an appointment.
Questions? Please email fruit@lushvalley.org or call us at 250-331-0152.
https://www.eventbrite.ca/o/lush-valley-food-action-society-17263121840
