Steadily busy with work and with a bit of extra wildlife here 150 miles from land.
Too late for bare-rooted trees now, but Thompson & Morgan had some fruit trees on offer in pots, so I got a Cherry 'Sunburst' and a Victoria Plum and a grape vine for novelty.
No need to worry about water for the trees in the field for now with the rain back at home. The River Dee levels up too for the first time since January's mild flooding.
Monday, 23 April 2012
Tuesday, 17 April 2012
A quiet week...
A noticeable 'greening' of vegetation at the field.
All of the pear trees are in blossom, the quince not far behind and the 30+ varieties of apple varying from just about to break open buds, through to leaves and blossom. The mulberries and walnuts are still without leaf but the hazels are progressing. The hawthorn and willow in the hedges are well into leaf, including those newly planted.
Quite a few things still to plant throughout the year ahead from stock in pots, including some stuff donated by friends from local seed. A couple of visitors during the week - always pleasant to have a chat about what's happing with the field and also generally locally in the village and just over the border on the Welsh side of the river.
One negative event was local teenagers up and down the footpath on a mini-motorbike and then riding around through a neighbour's crop and disturbing the horses in the next field, the police are apparently aware...
The 'copse' part in the name meadowcopse (a northern European term for pasture / woodland margin) has had some further planting on the narrow east shadier side of the field - this opens out onto a common hazel hedge, before the 6 metre grid planting of the orchard starting with nut trees...
A few more low spots in the grass levelled from last months lorry of topsoil and some work along the gateway planting up gaps with more hawthorns and reducing the spread of soil onto the access track, then reseeding bare soil with a native northern hedgerow wildflower seed mix. The first proper cut of the grass for the year, mainly as with last April to reduce dandelion seeds proliferating, partly backed up by root extraction. 1/2 an acre of grass is left long to the west side, for cutting later in the year (with patches of meadowsweet already breaking through as well as cuckoo flower in a couple of places).
All of the pear trees are in blossom, the quince not far behind and the 30+ varieties of apple varying from just about to break open buds, through to leaves and blossom. The mulberries and walnuts are still without leaf but the hazels are progressing. The hawthorn and willow in the hedges are well into leaf, including those newly planted.
Quite a few things still to plant throughout the year ahead from stock in pots, including some stuff donated by friends from local seed. A couple of visitors during the week - always pleasant to have a chat about what's happing with the field and also generally locally in the village and just over the border on the Welsh side of the river.
One negative event was local teenagers up and down the footpath on a mini-motorbike and then riding around through a neighbour's crop and disturbing the horses in the next field, the police are apparently aware...
The 'copse' part in the name meadowcopse (a northern European term for pasture / woodland margin) has had some further planting on the narrow east shadier side of the field - this opens out onto a common hazel hedge, before the 6 metre grid planting of the orchard starting with nut trees...
A few more low spots in the grass levelled from last months lorry of topsoil and some work along the gateway planting up gaps with more hawthorns and reducing the spread of soil onto the access track, then reseeding bare soil with a native northern hedgerow wildflower seed mix. The first proper cut of the grass for the year, mainly as with last April to reduce dandelion seeds proliferating, partly backed up by root extraction. 1/2 an acre of grass is left long to the west side, for cutting later in the year (with patches of meadowsweet already breaking through as well as cuckoo flower in a couple of places).
Sunday, 8 April 2012
A busy week ahead
Back in Cheshire late last week and recovering from night-shifts. Quite a noticeable difference after two weeks away from land...
A few hours at the field Thursday and Friday, mainly levelling soil in a few low spots ready for more grass seed.
An over-proliferation of dandelions (fortunately a lot less than last year), have had an attack on two fronts: flowers and leaves sliced with the strimmer and where possible, extensive roots extracted with the Fiskars tool.
A couple of visitors, always a pleasure to share ideas and outlook.
Quite a bit of wildflower growth in the hedgerow coming through and a mystery flower to identify?
A busy week ahead with odd jobs and landscaping to progress.
Meanwhile, a weekend of Goth music in Sheffield before a return to things pastoral...
Just about finished reading a book 'Gardening - philosophy for everyone' some parts are a bit heavy, but more than a few essays overlap wilderness and cultivation with arcadian thoughts and imagery.
A few hours at the field Thursday and Friday, mainly levelling soil in a few low spots ready for more grass seed.
An over-proliferation of dandelions (fortunately a lot less than last year), have had an attack on two fronts: flowers and leaves sliced with the strimmer and where possible, extensive roots extracted with the Fiskars tool.
A couple of visitors, always a pleasure to share ideas and outlook.
Quite a bit of wildflower growth in the hedgerow coming through and a mystery flower to identify?
A busy week ahead with odd jobs and landscaping to progress.
Meanwhile, a weekend of Goth music in Sheffield before a return to things pastoral...
Just about finished reading a book 'Gardening - philosophy for everyone' some parts are a bit heavy, but more than a few essays overlap wilderness and cultivation with arcadian thoughts and imagery.
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