Tackling neglected gardens

      Overgrown gardens can usually be renovated, but this depends on the plants and length of neglect. Very old black currant bushes, for example, are best dug up and discarded. If the neglect has been for only a few years, however, renovation is possible (see opposite). Apple and pear trees that are past renovation can have their branches cut back and be crown grafted – but this is radical treatment and the tree will not bear fruits for several years.

       Can I renovate my garden?

      FRUIT VARIETY CHECK

      Where you are taking over a garden which has been part of an old orchard, if possible check the names of the varieties before tearing them out. It may be that the variety is an old one renowned for its superbly flavored fruits. Many apples now grown commercially are selected for their productivity, travelling and ripening value, rather than their flavor, and it would be a great loss if a good variety was torn out. Contact a local orchard or a horticultural society and take along a few fruits for identification.

      If the tree is worth keeping, prune it in winter.

       A neglected garden may look fine at first, but plants may be smothering each other.

       Throughout this book, advice is given about renovating specific plants, from shrubs and trees to climbers and hedges.

       Fruit tree warnings

      Before tearing out an apple or pear tree, check that it is not a major pollen provider for the remaining trees.

      Apart from branch and twig congestion, you may have to contend with a tree riddled with pests and diseases. Be prepared for regular spraying.

      DON’T DISTURB!

      If you have a tree that is past renovation and is to be cut down, first check that birds are not nesting in it. In many countries, it is illegal to disturb a nest with eggs or young birds in it.

       Ornamental trees

      Because ornamental trees need little regular pruning, even after several years of neglect they are usually easy to renovate. Often, thin shoots (known as water sprouts) grow from the trunk and lower branches, especially on neglected lilacs. Use a pruning saw to remove them. Some trees when neglected, such as the deep purple-leaved Prunus cerasifera ‘Pissardii,’ also produce masses of thin, somewhat twiggy stems. Again, use a saw to remove them close to the trunk or branches. Take care not to leave unsightly snags.

      When a large branch needs to be removed, cut it off in short sections (see opposite page).

       Fruit trees

      Neglected apple and pear trees have masses of crossing branches and undersized fruits. Also, the tree is probably riddled with pests and diseases. Cut out cankered branches. There is then a judgement to make as to whether the amount of the tree that remains is worth saving; remember that renovation will take several years.

      If the tree is worth keeping, during the first dormant season cut out all dead and diseased wood, as well as congested branches and shoots at the tree’s center. During the following year, cut back any excessively old branches, and in the following dormant season start pruning the smaller shoots. Feed the tree around its base.

Fruit bushes

       Black currant

      These are shorter-lived than fruit trees and therefore decisions about their removal are easier. If a bush cannot be renovated and restored to bearing fruits within two years, it is better to dig it up and plant a young, healthy bush. Black currants can be completely cut down to soil level; it will be a year or so later that they bear fruits.

      Both red and white currants grow on a short “leg,” 6–8 in (15–20 cm) long, and renovation will take slightly longer. During the first year, cut out dead, crossing and old wood. In the second year, attempt to rebuild a spur system that will bear fruits.

       Fruit canes

      Cane fruits that have become masses of tangled, old stems can be cut right down to ground level in late winter. Summer-fruiting raspberries and hybrid berries will bear fruits about 18 months later, on two-year-old canes. However, autumn-fruiting raspberries will bear fruits later the same summer, on one-year-old canes.

      For all cane fruit regeneration, feed the plants in spring and regularly water the soil.

       Rose bushes

      If neglected, Hybrid Tea and Floribunda roses become overgrown with suckers and congested, old wood. Each sucker is best removed by tracing the stem back to the roots and pulling it off. Do not cut it off. Rejuvenation basically involves encouraging the development of young,

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