Prune – Along Services

Are you wanting to learn how to care for your own trees?

Our Prune Along service is a 90 minute session designed to teach the basic skills of pruning and fruit tree care. During a session, one of our fruit tree specialists will:

• Assess your tree(s) health and condition.
• Instruct you on how to care for and maintain your fruit tree(s).
• Introduce you to proper pruning techniques.
• Advise you on a tailored pruning plan that meets your goals.

Instruction is hands on and interactive, and our tree care specialists are happy to answer any questions you may have about your trees. If there is more work to be done than can be accomplished in the session, we can advise you on the next steps and walk you through the rest of the process.This service does not include debris removal.

The cost of a Prune Along session is $175+gst. This service is not exclusive to just one individual. You are welcome to invite other people to join, and learn to prune along with you!

Please note, we recommend avoiding pruning stone fruit trees in winter, due to a number of disease issues they are susceptible to that can be made worse through winter pruning. If you are looking for help with a plum, cherry, apricot or peach tree please reach out to [email protected] to discuss options for getting support with your tree.

If you are interested in this service and live outside of our current service area (Victoria, Oak Bay, Esquimalt, View Royal and Sannich south of Royal Oak), or are unavailable on Wednesdays please email [email protected] and we will advise as to if we are able to accommodate visiting you.

Pruning Apprenticeship

We are very excited to be offering a pruning apprenticeship program, starting in January 2025.

Intro

The Welland Orchard Winter Pruning Apprenticeship is a free skill-building and volunteer opportunity that gives participants the opportunity to develop a solid theoretical understanding of fruit tree pruning, as well as the chance to bring that knowledge into practice while helping with winter pruning at Welland Orchard. 

The program consists of one training session and a minimum of three volunteer sessions (multiple sessions available). The training session is primarily theoretical with some limited hands-on practice. The volunteer sessions provide the opportunity to bring that knowledge into practice in a smaller group size with ample opportunities for feedback, as participants will work together with the Welland Orchard Coordinator to prune the orchard.

Who we’re looking for:

This program might be a good fit for you if you are looking for ways to increase your skills and knowledge around fruit tree care AND are looking for a fun volunteer opportunity. If this sounds like you, please fill out the application linked below.

Pruning Workshop at Welland Orchard

We know that taking shears to your favourite fruit tree can be intimidating, however proper pruning is essential to maintaining tree health and ensuring a good harvest for years to come.

This workshop will cover the basics of pruning and provide a live demonstration on one of the many fruit trees in the orchard. You’ll learn: how to select the proper tools; how to use and care for those tools, and why; as well as how and when to prune your trees and vines.

By the end of this workshop, our goal is for you to be confident enough to tackle pruning in your own backyard.

If you are interested in attending, please follow the link below to register on Eventbrite.