Get Growing  & Pruning courses

Get in touch and be the first to hear about new Orchard Learning courses.

Use this link to apply: https://goo.gl/forms/0niaxJCUPhNlzSNy1 or contact us with any questions.

Get Growing Fruit Trees 2024 - an introduction over a growing season

Sundays: 10 March, 12 May, 18 July, 15 September, 2pm - 4.30pm

Course fee: £130, £120 (H&DAA / AOG member), £95 (HOCO Friend member), £80 (HOCO Harvest-share member)


This course is designed as a hands-on introduction to loving and looking after fruit trees. It is a brilliant way for beginners to become active members of HOCO. 

Your place will be confirmed after an informal phone chat. Deadline for applications: Friday 8 March, 2024.

6 places                        No previous experience needed

·      March - Know your trees, their care needs, site, and soil

·      May - Pests, diseases, disorders and resilience

·      July - Pruning - why and how

·      September - Harvest, storage & preservation

Praise from Get Growers:

"A very useful course - very sensible and down-to-earth information from a very experienced and well informed teacher." 

"Shannon has the knack of imparting her brilliant knowledge, which also lends itself perfectly to practical application. She is a brilliant demonstrator."

"Lots of practical advice. Great to see things develop through the year, and be in a relaxed and pleasant environment."

"Really enjoyed learning by doing - being in the orchard and working on the trees. A great introduction to fruit tree growing."


Does pruning fruit trees leave you stumped?

Knowing when to prune is as important as knowing how. Understanding the seasonal cycle of fruit trees is essential to planning, shaping, and enjoying fruitful and healthy trees. Learn to tune in to the character and needs of trees in your care. Use different pruning tools, make pruning decisions and put them into practice.

Orchard Learning Pruning courses are tailored to the needs of participants and their trees. Each course begins with a small group session in HOCO’s rich and diverse outdoor learning environment. Participants are introduced to the seasonal pruning cycle. They meet the best tools for the job, work with real trees, and learn by doing. Follow-on one-to-one sessions take place by arrangement - at HOCO and/or the garden, allotment or community project where your trees grow.

Courses take place in HOCO’s rich and diverse outdoor learning environment. Learners will work with real trees, and learn by doing. They are guided by Shannon Smith, a knowledgeable and down-to-earth tutor.

Pruning courses (2024)

3 places (each date)

Course fee includes a 3-hour small group session and follow-up 3 hours one-to-one session(s).

£130*, £120* (member of AOG / H&DAA), £100* (HOCO Friend member), £90* (HOCO Harvest-share member)

(*Fees are discounted if more than one course booked at the same time. Get in touch for more information.)

Courses cover:

Dormant  Season Pruning for Beginners* – Apple & pear trees      

        Saturday 16 March, 2-5pm 

Participant feedback from this course: "The course format is brilliant. Following up the workshop in the orchard with a one-to-one session in my garden and allotment helped put the learning into practice."

Dormant Season Pruning for Improvers** – Apple & pear trees      

        Sunday 17 March, 2-5pm

Pruning for Improvers** - Delayed Dormant season – Apple & pear trees in need of renovation and reduction in size    

         Sunday 16 June, 2-5pm (TBC)

Participant feedback from this course: "Learning about pruning is a brilliant way to spend an afternoon in the orchard. I've learned a lot. Glad I did this rather than stay at home watching the tennis!"

Growing Season Pruning for Beginners* – Apple & pear trees       

         Saturday 3 August, 2-5pm

Growing Season Pruning for Improvers**– Apple & pear trees      

         Sunday 4 August, 2-5pm

Apply using this link: https://goo.gl/forms/0niaxJCUPhNlzSNy1

or contact us for a pdf form, and with any questions.

*Beginners - no previous pruning experience, or less than two years experience.

**Improvers - a minimum of two years pruning experience and participation in one, or more, pruning courses. 


Book an hour with The Apple Tree Lady

Shannon Smith - our Orchard Learning co-ordinator - is offering one-hour fruit tree consultations

in gardens and alloments within a 2km-ish radius of Horfield Organic Community Orchard.

The fee is £25, which includes a £5 donation to HOCO.

Available by advance booking only.

Shannon will share her expertise, and give practical and down-to-earth advice

about fruit trees of all ages and conditions.

An hour with the Apple Tree Lady is highly recommended by Alison, a recent Orchard Learning participant,

“I’ve learned more about apples in 30 minutes than I have in the whole of my life!”

Please book using this link: https://forms.gle/FXEA31GezBy6H9fq6 or contact us with any questions.

Get in touch if you want to be the first to hear about new Orchard Learning courses.

Use this link: https://goo.gl/forms/0niaxJCUPhNlzSNy1

or contact us for a pdf form, and with any questions.


Orchard Learning Programme   We hope to offer this course in 2025 

Course dates, outline & information

9-months from February to October - see below for dates

The programme is designed for participants with some experience of growing tree fruit (e.g. apple, pear, plum).

It is ideal for anyone involved with a community orchard, as well as professional and home gardeners looking after more than a handful of different trees.

Course fee

£300 (plus HOCO Harvest-share membership*, which involves 20+ volunteer hours)**

or

£400 (plus HOCO Friend membership*, includes a £50 donation to HOCO)

**Bursaries available - get in touch for a chat

Deadline for applications: Sunday 29 January 2023

Informal interviews: Friday 3 February, Saturday 4 February - times to be confirmed

Ask for an application pack using this link: https://goo.gl/forms/0niaxJCUPhNlzSNy1 or contact us with any questions.

Orchard Learning is a hands-on and holistic programme that blends group sessions with one-to-one learning. Participants will gain experience, knowledge, skills, and confidence to care for fruit trees for years to come.

The Orchard Learning Programme guides participants through a growing season in an established community orchard. The programme begins as days lengthen, soil is stirring, and trees, as well as pests and diseases, are waking up from dormancy. It follows the fruiting arc from blossom, pollination and fruit set, to development, ripening and harvest. During the course participants learn to tune in, and respond, to the characteristics and needs of individual trees of different ages, varieties, and conditions.

HOCO hope to host an advanced Orchard Learning Training Programme in autumn 2023, designed to develop skills for training and organising volunteers. The Orchard Learning Programme 2023 (or an equivalent) is a foundation for the follow up training programme.

*Participants agree to be/become members of Horfield Organic Community Orchard, and can join as a Harvest-share or Friend member (more information about membership here). Members share responsibility for looking after a pioneering community orchard, and helping to organise successful community events.

Here's what participants say about the Orchard Learning Programme:

"A well-rounded course that expanded my knowledge and understanding of orcharding - alongside joyful aspects of community and ecological vitality."

"I loved the sessions on pruning and am stimulated to learn more. Shannon has a wealth of hands-on knowledge, and I appreciated learning things you can't learn from books."

"Thanks for a fantastic year of learning and sharing."

"Shannon's longstanding relationship with HOCO gives her deep knowledge of the whole orchard and every tree. Her experience and expertise are special and inspiring."

"A unique opportunity to share in the management of an orchard with a highly knowledgeable leader. Prepare for action! You'll learn a lot." 

"Shannon is a great teacher as well as being phenomenally knowledgeable about fruit growing. I can't think of a better way to learn than having hands-on experience of every form and variety of fruit tree."

Get in touch if you want to be the first to hear about new Orchard Learning courses.

Use this link: https://goo.gl/forms/0niaxJCUPhNlzSNy1 or contact us with any questions.