TIME FOR winter pruning

For the ornamental gardener, there was a time you could put away the mower in October and, save for maybe raking up the last of the fallen leaves, be safe in the knowledge that the garden was put to bed for the winter. Nothing to do more taxing than looking through the seed catalogues, choosing old favourites and new varieties to try the following year, and perhaps keeping an eye on some pots of fuchsia cuttings lined up on the spare bedroom window.

For the fruit grower, however, winter is arguably busier than summer. The last of the top fruits are to be picked and