Pruning season on the POP team is a pretty energetic time. We support most of our 71 orchard partners in pruning their orchards between end of January to mid March. Team members have described pruning as the intersection between science and art, a puzzle that scratches an brain itch, their most intimate hands on interaction with the tree. Pruning, they said, is like a long term relationship, hard at first. built over time, reaching the point of just needing minor adjustments.
Updated POP Pruning Guide
Excited to share our freshly updated Pruning Guide. If this is your first time sneaking a peak, you are in for a treat. New sections include: Trees that need Minimal Pruning, Restoration Pruning, Summer Pruning, and Pruning Tools. Shout out to Simone Shemshedini for the sick illustrations. To Indy Shome for turning a pile of paper into an easy on the eyes, easy to take in booklet. And to Caro Torres for translating into a Spanish version of the guide available here.
Pruning Videos
In 2021, we made a twelve episode series on Pruning, available on POP’s YouTube Station. The series was produced and filmed in the orchard at Grumblethorpe Historic House and Gardens by volunteers Marc Steiner and Ander Kazmerski, respectively. Episodes are bite sized and easily digestible ranging from 2-5 minutes.
Click here for the full series playlist.
Haga clic aquí para ver la serie de poda con subtítulos en español.
Virtual Pruning Workshop
In response to the pandemic, we shifted trainings to virtual zoom trainings. Here is an 80 minute live presentation by POP staff with an overview of orchard care by season and a deep dive into winter pruning.
Pruning Workshops
Pruning workshops are by far our most popular workshop. This year we’ll being doing one pruning workshop exclusive for our orchard partners and Lead Orchard Volunteers (LOVs) in NW Philly, one for the public at the POP Learning Orchard at the Woodland, and one for spanish-speaking folks in North. All of these workshops will be held largely outdoors at one of POP’s orchard partners with an emphasis on hands-on practice in small groups. And watch out, this year we’re going to have laser pointers.
- February 28th, 1-3:30pm.Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop @ POP’s Learning Orchard. (Rain date 2/29)
- March 14th, 1-3pm Juntos Podamos – Taller de Poda (Pruning workshop in spanish ) @ Historic Fair Hill (Rain date 3/21)
