Do you have fruit trees but you’re not sure how to prune them for the best fruit production?
It’s the middle of winter, and all the fruit trees are bare of leaves and need pruning.
To get the best crop from each fruit, I have a gardener to help out.
Neal, a qualified horticulturist with many years of experience across Gippsland, visits Jacican every two weeks to share his gardening knowledge and help me get the best yield possible from everything I grow.
Now you can learn from Neal too!
We will learn which fruit trees to prune when, how, what tools to use and how to keep pests in control, how to prune for fruit.
Saturday 7th August 2021, Neal is running a winter pruning class at Jacican.
I’ll see you all in the kitchen garden soon!
PS: Preserving, lolly making and learn to make macaron cooking classes are running. Private group bookings welcome.
If learning more about my vegetable garden is more your style, join me for a Walk Amongst The Weeds kitchen garden lunch.
Cooking classes | Gippsland | Private Function | Harvest Lunch | Food studio | Mirboo North
Fruit Trees at Jacican
When we first brought our property that was to become Jacican, there were only three fruit trees.
The kitchen garden when we first brought the property in 2008
Before us, there were rumours that the ¾ acre property had a full self-sufficient garden, but the previous owner had mown over it over 20 years, and there was very little left.
One ancient plum tree, an apple, and an ornamental peach – that was it.
The ancient plum tree - one of the original three fruit trees at Jacican
Over the 13 years we have been living here, there are now three apples, three hazelnuts, a feijoa, a medlar, seven citrus, two mulberries, a quince, three babacos, a pear, three peaches, two apricots, a nectarine, a cherry, two figs, a new plum, and the old plum.
Fruit tree - bare of leaves - waiting for a winter prune
Seven different citrus fruit trees are now in the Jacican Kitchen garden
Along with currents, raspberries, strawberries, edible natives, herbs, passionfruit, flowers, and annual and perennial vegetables.
Babacos - also called champagne fruit
You can see the change.
We learned how to look after the fruit trees.
When they needed to be pruned, prune them with what, when, and where on the tree.
And we are still learning …
If you would like to learn to we are running a winter pruning class on Saturday 7th of August 2021.
The kitchen garden at Jacican in 2021.
Acknowledgment of country
Hello, I’m Jaci Hicken, from the lands of the Brataualung clan, which is where I’ve spent most of my life.
I would like to acknowledge all of us here today to cook together and share a meal.
I love sharing my dream of growing the food this country has to offer and share it with you.
The traditional place that we come together today is on the lands Gunaikurnai people
And I’d like to pay my respects to our elders past, present, emerging leaders, along with all the young people in our community.