Contact: Diane Relf, Extension Specialist, Environmental Horticulture

October 1996

January Tips
FRUITS AND NUTS

  • Sour cherry is a good fruit for the home garden. The trees are relatively small, and insects and diseases usually are not a serious problem. 'Montmorency' is a highly recommended sour cherry variety. It pollinates itself, so it can be planted alone. It requires very little pruning and will produce good crops with little care other than bird netting.

  • Sod ground covers in peach orchards can suppress vigorous vegetative growth while allowing fruit to attain normal size. Soil moisture is generally found to be higher under sod than in areas under constant cultivation.

  • Check stored fruits and vegetables, such as potatoes and apples, for bad spots that can lead to decay. Remove and use those showing signs of spoiling. Separate others into slotted trays or bins to increase air circulation and reduce decay possibilities.

  • Prune grapes in January or February. If this job is left too late in the season, bleeding from cut ends will occur.

    Monthly Tips have been prepared since 1986 by various staff of the Office of Consumer Horticulture including Ellen Bennett, Michelle Buckstrup, Susan Day, Susan DeBolt, Sharon Dendy, Kate Dobbs, Sheri Dorn, David Gravell, Virginia Nathan, Jenny Shuster, Ellen Silva, and Ruth Sorenson. Resource material for the development of this information includes the Virginia Master Gardener Handbook; Extension Publications and newsletters from VCE, numerous other states, and the USDA; and an extensive library of over 900 books, magazines, and journals. Project funded by The Virginia Gardener Newsletter subscription fees. Diane Relf, Project Director and Content Specialist.

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