Do you have fruit trees? Would you like to harvest more each year? Most homeowners and local farmers should know that a yearly pruning can increase quality fruit production, reduce occurrence of diseases by increasing airflow and improving the longevity of the tree. However, most are unsure where to start or how to complete this process. Let the University of Illinois Extension program help guide through the world of fruit tree pruning and the time to prune fruit trees is late winter.

This year the Horticulture team has united with the Local Foods and Small Farm team to provide hands on fruit tree pruning workshop under the instruction of Dr. Mosbah Kushad, a horticulture professor in the Department of Crop Science. Dr. Kushad will teach very informative hands on fruit tree pruning workshop on February 14, 2014 at PrairiErth Farm outside of Atlanta, Illinois.

A second hands on fruit tree pruning workshop will be held on March 7, 2014 at Hildebrand Farm outside of Pontiac and will be led by Bill Davison, Extension Educator, Local Food Systems/Small Farms, University of Illinois Extension and Kelly Allsup, Extension Educator, Horticulture, University of Illinois Extension.

Both workshops will begin at 1:00 p.m. and be approximately two hours. (In the case inclement weather forces a change in date, email notifications will be sent to your email address below). Please bring pruning shears, if you have them. A limited number will be available for those that do not have their own.

Skills you gain from this workshop will allow you to make informed decisions on what limbs to prune and give you the confidence to follow up with a yearly routine. Please register online at https://webs.extension.uiuc.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=9249