MANURING DAY 19 March

Eleven keen Friends assembled at the Orchard yesterday to do the annual weed, manure and mulch of the trees. The trees look very cosy under a warm duvet of rotted manure and 6 month old wood chip. We have found this regime essential both to feed the trees but also to keep the winter moisture around the roots. The sap has started to rise and the buds are swelling…..here’s to a fruitful season.

Many thanks to everyone who came to help….our next working party will be a general tidying up with possibly a bonfire….date yet to be arranged.

We are planning a blossom viewing Coffee Morning in May.

JOB DONE!

RABBIT DAMAGE

This is a picture of the damage found at the end of February on one of our most prolifically cropping trees….Sunset. We think a single rabbit would have caused the wound…..and this girdling is most likely to kill the tree. Because the outer bark and cambium layer have been damaged so badly, water and nutrients can not progress up the tree.
RHS Advisory suggests that we do nothing and see what happens……but meanwhile we could wrap some damp moss around the area, securing it under plastic to try to give a warmer damp environment to encourage regrowth if that is possible.

Also we must be extra vigilant with ensuring the chicken wire protection around every tree remains securely in place……we still have 29 other trees to look after!

WORKING PARTY: SATURDAY 19 MARCH

Our next working party is on Sat 19 March starting at 10am……with coffee at about 11am.

·         Weed around each tree
·         Spread manure around each tree (already bagged up in October)
·         Cover whole tree site with wood chip to conserve moisture…..
·         Leave tree having checked the stake (if there is one) with tie leaving room to grow, no constricting labels AND THE RABBIT NETTING SECURELY PINNED TO THE GROUND WITH NO SPACE UNDERNEATH

There are also some tree trunks ready cut in the woods which we could use in the orchard tree circles or even make into some wooden stepping stones for the children!

So you’ll need to bring gloves, grab bags for the weeds, kneelers, hand forks, border fork/spade for manipulating the manure and mulch, possibly a rake or 2 and if anyone has a wheelbarrow that would be marvellous.

Hoping to see some new faces there…….you are all welcome for coffee however long you can stay!

With good wishes to you all….and hoping for a bumper year

Helen and the Orchard TEAM