whats needed

Fertilisers

A few ideas, at this time of year I use Blood, Fish and Bone for the root system (I'm in the North too) and I let the rain carry this down over the next month. In March I give all my fruit a top dressing of Potash and then keeps them well. In April I remove an gun bands from the trunks that I placed there in Autumn and check all stakes, ties for damage or rubbing on the plants.

If any of your bushes are in containers they will need regular feed throughout the season of Blood, Fish and Bone and a final feed of Potash at the end of the season - they may be dormant but they're not dead.

Another thing I saw years ago in an orchard - it is traditional to allow sheep into the orchard to keep the grass down and manure the site. The fleece from the sheep would later be used around the bottom of the tree as a mulch.

Another note, if your trees are in the middle of a lawn, it is a good idea at this time of year to create circles around the trees e.g. cut out the grass, this helps if the trees are new - they will need alot of water and no competition, also grass needs to be cut and you can damage the tree and the roots in this process if the grass grows right up to the tree.

Andrewo