Yeah the snow is finally here

Its been cold which is great, kills off the nasty bugs. Now the snow is here its even better.  It does look like its not going to stay, contrary to some of the newspaper headlines, that proclaim a continued freeze.

I have checked on the trees and they are fine, some rabbit damage but nothing major. I will be putting up large better home made rabbit guards as soon as I have the time. The ones that I had made and put up previously have worked marvelously. It just takes time and next week if the weather is fine, I should be able to do the majority of them. I'm just recycling some old fencing.

On one hand I want the cold and on the other I want it sightly warmer to get some work done, but them I'm sure the bees would also like a warm day just to go out have a buzz around and well go for a poo.

The ground needs to be warm so that the bamboo cane can go into the ground, and deep enough for the rabbit guard to stay in place. It would take a couple of hours, but its time well spent.

I am starting to think about planting some additional willow trees using just freshly cut twigs "withy". I had put some in a couple of years ago about this time of year, a couple of them have done well. Some of them had been gnawed by rabbits and died. This time I'll clear some space and then put in better rabbit guards.

I made some notes on the subject a couple of years ago and have reread them, the notes were from a leaflet I read on the subject.

Willows

Planting new Willows consider the following :

• Using cutting taken from local stock will preserve local varieties of willow. Its cheap and easy to take cutting from local trees.

• With luck your tree will be in residence for a long time, so choose its position carefully. Think about how big it will be when mature and consider the shade it will cast.

• Don't plant willows near buildings, or where the roots could reach a water pipe.

• Think before planting close to ponds, large numbers of dead willow leaves falling into the water can be harmful to fish & other aquatic life.

• You must obtain permission from the Environment Agency before planting a tree next to a stream.

• Plant in January/February when the soil is wet but before leaves appear on the trees.

Steps to take 

• Take cuttings about 2.5 cm think at the base and plant in moist soil in a prepared hole about 4/5 cm deep where the tree is to grow

• Don't just shove them into the ground, it will damage the cut end and lead to infection.

• Water well in dry summers.