Learn the basics of apple tree growth and care! And enjoy a cider tasting from Berkshire Cider Project!
Have an old apple tree at home that is in need of some care? Or looking to plant and care for a home orchard? This is the workshop for you! Join Ken Gooch, retired Director of Forestry Health for the state Department of Conservation and Recreation, as he leads the pruning portion of the workshop. You will learn the basics of apple tree pruning along with an opportunity to try your skills on the trees in the orchard at Hancock Shaker Village.
Saturday, March 30 · 10am – 1pm
With the pruning complete, you will then learn the critical skill of grafting! Grafting is the process of combining scion wood with a rootstock to propagate a desired apple (or other fruit) variety. Rootstock and scion wood will be provided, and you will be able to take home an heirloom apple seedling!
Activities will be paired with a guided craft hard cider tasting from Berkshire Cider Project. And everything will be hosted on the beautiful grounds of Hancock Shaker Village – the oldest working farm in the Berkshires!
What is grafting?
This is a critical skill for all fruit tree growers! Grafting is the process of combining scion wood with a rootstock to propagate a desired apple variety. Apples do not grow true-to-seed – in other words, if you planted a seed from a Granny Smith apple, you would grow a totally new and different tree. In order to propagate desired varieties, we rely in grafting – taking scion wood (clippings) from the tree of a desired apple variety, and grafting it to the rootstock of another tree. The resulting tree will bear the desired fruit.
Click here to register:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/spring-pruning-grafting-workshop-tickets-837560274327?aff=oddtdtcreator