16/06/2026
๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ง๐ถ๐ฝ ๐ง๐๐ฒ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐
๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ.
๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฑ๐๐ผ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ - the ones that drop their leaves in autumn and stand bare through winter - are doing something very important right now. They are sleeping. And contrary to what you might think, this is the ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐บ. With no leaves to support, every nutrient you give them goes straight into root development and the buds that will become next seasonโs fruit.
In the Eastern Cape, the deciduous fruit trees that benefit most from a good winter feed include:
โช Apples and pears
โช Plums, peaches, nectarines and apricots
โช Quinces
โช Figs
โช Persimmons
๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐น๐, ๐๐ถ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด:
โช Wait until the tree has dropped all its leaves. That is your green light.
โช Apply your compost in a wide ring around the tree, following the drip line. The drip line is roughly where the outermost branches end. That is where the feeder roots live - not at the trunk.
โช Spread a generous 3 to 5 cm layer of well-rotted compost. Add a handful of bone meal if you have it - it is rich in phosphorus, which feeds root growth.
โช Top the whole ring with a layer of mulch to lock in moisture and keep the soil temperature steady through frosty nights.
โช Keep the area right against the trunk clear. Compost piled against bark causes rot.
๐ง๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐. ๐ก๐ผ ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐น๐, ๐ป๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐บ๐ถ๐
. Just compost in the right place at the right time. Come October, your trees will reward you with blossom worth photographing - the kind that fills Bedfordโs gardens every spring.
๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป, contact Stacey Leigh Shaw on 083 874 7816 or [email protected]. Visit www.bedford.co.za.
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