21 JANUARY
"Pruning is relaxing", says Koen Martens. He looks at the bare branches of a Belgica apple tree and can tell from the buds that there will be a lot of spring blossoms this year and where the apples will grow. As he lops and discards old branches, he predicts an average harvest this year. Better that than a bumper crop, as overproduction leads to a poor harvest the following year. All the branches that grow downwards or which block the light are to go too. Koen uproots a row of Jonagold trees, leaving a few exposed stumps for the rabbits. Hungry rabbits have gnawed through some trunk protectors.