Visited the Orchard, and examined all the trees. They seem fine and dormante. They are sleeping for the winter period and seem to have settled in well.
I can see buds on many of the trees.
I may have suffered a little more rabbit damage but nothing that I consider to be serious.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
14th December
Went by every tree and have made notes as to which trees have been damaged and how. I may have lost 6 trees to rabbit damage. These are the trees nearest to the motorway and had hard wood. The rabbits have nibbled parts of the bark and in some cases may have ring barked the trees.
These damaged trees will have to be replaced. I will have to put this down to experience and it has been an expensive lesson. I am going to put a spreadsheet together which will allow me to report on each tree individually. It will highlight problems etc.
The gate has a new lock, I don't have the key and have spoken both to Chris and to Leisha. I have been told I will be getting key in the next day or so.
These damaged trees will have to be replaced. I will have to put this down to experience and it has been an expensive lesson. I am going to put a spreadsheet together which will allow me to report on each tree individually. It will highlight problems etc.
The gate has a new lock, I don't have the key and have spoken both to Chris and to Leisha. I have been told I will be getting key in the next day or so.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
13th December 2008
Went to examine the trees that have been planted. We have had a couple of trees damaged by rabbits. I had put up guards but they have managed to get to the tops of the guards and they have nibbled both the branches and the trunks. A couple may have been damaged and will have to be replaced. I am going back in the morning to put up larger guards.
I think that the apples trees are the worst effected. However I didn't take a pad and paper and was not able to make notes.
This will have to be put down to experience and I will learn from it. Some of the trees are water logged.
Some of the land has become water logged, in fact so has must of the Austrey village it was very scary driving through today.
We have also visited a garden centre to look at willow trees and have discovered that it is best to plant them in March. Once the water has resided.
I also called Andy from the orchard group and and told him about the issues. His advice was to build a mount around the trees. That may work. And the rabbits ensure the guards are up correctly.
I think that the apples trees are the worst effected. However I didn't take a pad and paper and was not able to make notes.
This will have to be put down to experience and I will learn from it. Some of the trees are water logged.
Some of the land has become water logged, in fact so has must of the Austrey village it was very scary driving through today.
We have also visited a garden centre to look at willow trees and have discovered that it is best to plant them in March. Once the water has resided.
I also called Andy from the orchard group and and told him about the issues. His advice was to build a mount around the trees. That may work. And the rabbits ensure the guards are up correctly.
Monday, December 1, 2008
30th of November More planting
Up early we have called in lots of help. Including my brother in law, and his daughter my sister, some of my wifes friends Stuart and Victoria.
We still have more than 30 trees to plant and with their help we have managed to get them all planted. We did start much earlier and didn't have to wait for trees etc.
We had new problems though. First when we arrived the gate was locked so we parked the cars on top of the hill. Then carried the trees and the tools down to the orchard.
We found that all three of the Rotweillers were on the lose. They barked at us for ages and when they finally went back to the where they must live my brother and I went to close the gate in the home that they would not be able to come near the orchard. One of the dogs probrably the youngest and smallest managed to get though the gaps in the fence and chased us. We jumped over the fence and all. When my parents came we throw bits of bacon at them and they seem much friendlier.
We have managed to get all the trees planted. We were two stakes short and we are not sure if they were stolen overnight or they were missing from the order. Next time we will have to be a bit more organised and count stuff.
Leena's friends have started to stake out the next trees spots. I will have to put the order in for the next load soon.
We have more people that want to help with the next batch.
We still have more than 30 trees to plant and with their help we have managed to get them all planted. We did start much earlier and didn't have to wait for trees etc.
We had new problems though. First when we arrived the gate was locked so we parked the cars on top of the hill. Then carried the trees and the tools down to the orchard.
We found that all three of the Rotweillers were on the lose. They barked at us for ages and when they finally went back to the where they must live my brother and I went to close the gate in the home that they would not be able to come near the orchard. One of the dogs probrably the youngest and smallest managed to get though the gaps in the fence and chased us. We jumped over the fence and all. When my parents came we throw bits of bacon at them and they seem much friendlier.
We have managed to get all the trees planted. We were two stakes short and we are not sure if they were stolen overnight or they were missing from the order. Next time we will have to be a bit more organised and count stuff.
Leena's friends have started to stake out the next trees spots. I will have to put the order in for the next load soon.
We have more people that want to help with the next batch.
29th November Start Planting
Up early I couldn't sleep. Its excitement, worry and adrenaline the want to get the work done and get the trees planted. I meet my brother at Homebase (New Oscott) to picked-up some additional compost. We have purchased Miracle glow organic compost.
We arrived at the Orchard with my brother early. We started digging relativity small holes. When the trees finally arrived we realised that we were going to have to dig much larger holes.
We had help from Mum and Dad and Lynda a colleague from work.
The rottweilers were out and about they are scary. I am hoping that they will get use to us working on the land. Meet lots of people today including Leisha who I bought the land from.
We were still planting as it got dark. We haven't plant half the trees yet. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. My brother and I plan to get to the orchard early, first light, to start planting.
We took the trees we hadn't planted back to my parents to ensure that the roots were not affected by the frost.
When I got home that night I needed a hot bath, with aromatic oils and dettol.
We arrived at the Orchard with my brother early. We started digging relativity small holes. When the trees finally arrived we realised that we were going to have to dig much larger holes.
We had help from Mum and Dad and Lynda a colleague from work.
The rottweilers were out and about they are scary. I am hoping that they will get use to us working on the land. Meet lots of people today including Leisha who I bought the land from.
We were still planting as it got dark. We haven't plant half the trees yet. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. My brother and I plan to get to the orchard early, first light, to start planting.
We took the trees we hadn't planted back to my parents to ensure that the roots were not affected by the frost.
When I got home that night I needed a hot bath, with aromatic oils and dettol.
28th November Walkie Talkies
I had ordered a set of walkie talkie to use on the orchard and they have not arrived yet. I have had to resort to going to Screwfix to pick up some additional ones. I am going to need them for the planting. We have found that talking and shouting across the field is pointless and they will be a very useful tool when working on site.
My brother had bought a Post hole shovel. This may help with the digging.
My brother had bought a Post hole shovel. This may help with the digging.
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