Fruit Tree Pruning Workshops

Rick Reisinger demonstrates how to prune fruit trees for optimum fruit production at his commercial orchard, Reisinger's Apple Country. Rick Reisinger, a fruit-tree pruning expert from Cornell Orchards and Reisinger's Apple County, will be offering two pruning workshops this month: Planting and Maintenance of a New Orchard and Big Tree Pruning, in cooperation with The South Central New York Agriculture Program of Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Cornell University Horticulture Department.

 Planting and Maintenance of a New Orchard will be held Saturday, March 13, from 10:00 am to 12 Noon, at Reisinger's Apple Country, 2750 Apple Lane, Watkins Glen, NY. You'll learn how to prune fruit trees through a pruning demonstration by Reisinger in his own orchard, and you'll learn how to plant and maintain a variety of fruit trees‹including apple, peach, plums and cherries for the best fruit production and tree health. The $5 fee will include workshop hand outs and refreshments.

 Big Tree Pruning will be held Saturday, March 20, from 9:00 am to 12 Noon, at Bobby  Wells Home Orchard, 1295 Marshland Road, Apalachin. You'll learn how to prune overgrown and out-of-control fruit trees to improve their health and increase their fruit production through a pruning demonstration by Reisinger at the orchard. The $5 fee will include workshop hand outs and refreshments.

 Registration is limited to 60 participants for each workshop. The workshops will occur rain or shine, so dress accordingly. To register and get directions to the orchards, contact Tina Murphy by phone at (607) 687-4020, or by email at tlm8@cornell.edu.