Pruning Trees and looking at old cuts

Old Cut after a couple of years

Stump sticking out

I've started pruning the trees this year in the cold and wet windy weather. The winter pruning is to increase vigour in the tree and to encoruage it to grow in the direction you want it to. While pruning I was admiring some of the work that been done previously. 

The trees have been sealing and growing over the cuts. To me that make attactive scars on the barl escpcially after a couple of years and the work has grown around it.

Old Pruning healing

Old cut with some new cuts

One of the hives had fallen over

On Christmas Eve last year I had topped up the hives with  12.5 kgs block of  fondant. One of the hives had toppled over when I checked the orchard on the 16th January. Its been very windy and lots of rain. 

I checked on the hives the other day and the bees were coming and going.  I'm very pleased the bees are ok.

I've started winter pruning should have all the apple trees done by mid Feb.