Wet but warmer

Plants doing well underwater

The parts of the orchard that were water logged last week are still waterlogged. Though the ice has melted. I can see that some of the grass that's under the water is now brown in colour but some of the plants seem happy living underwater. It must be good for some creatures and plants and as time goes on, I should consider planting more water loving plants in that area. It's still cold and I don't see any creatures venturing around the orchard, not even insects, I could see hoof prints from horse riders that have been riding in the mud. 

Willow tree buds

Part of the orchard that flooded no tree trees in the area though

Its not all bad the plants that are happy under the water are a lovely shade of green., it makes a good contrast with the brown. I can also see some of the buds from the willow that I planted some time ago doing very well in this weather, too. They have also been water logged but they continue to grow, and the buds are beginning to stretch out.

Conker trees to be plant this year

The plan is in a couple of weeks once the water has receded  plant some more coppiced willow, lots of it will be around at this time of year. Well the willow will be it will just need to be coppiced.

Last year from my parents garden my mother and father he collected a number of conkers trees that had taken hold from conkers so that I could plant them in the orchard. The trees will add more diversity to the fruit trees. Recently the UK had as problems with conker trees but I still plan to plant these. I'm not sure how many will actually survive, we shall see in a couple of years. I also have other fruit baring plants that need to be planted, including strawberries. I have to wait for the weather to improve so that I can start planting.

Strawberry plants that were in my garden last year

The weather has been so bad, that I haven't had a chance to clear the ground. One of the things I wanted to do, was to burn up the brambles that I had cut down during the late autumn. The problem is I have piles of them  brambles that are soaking wet, they just haven't had time to dry out so that I can burn them.

The weather was good enough for me to check on the bees and I made sure that they had stores, and the numbers of bees are still good. I check from above I could see large numbers of bees in the hives and lots of fondant. All good signs.

Wet and icy

The Orchard is cold at the moment

Its been another wet and cold week and the part of the orchard that was flooded part has a very a very fine sliver of ice which is nice to look at but her delicate. I'm sure by mid afternoon most of it will have thawed out and will refreeze over night The grass and flora sticks out which kind of looks nice.

Gnawed Tree

This colder time of the year is one where rabbits love gnawing at the trees. I have fenced up and checked the rest of the rabbit guards. It seems like the  occasional rabbit guard goes missing every now and again or it gets pulled out and  find itself against the fence. 

All the trees are  dormant I can see the last 3 leaves on one of trees its a nice image, almost showing what im hoping I will see in a couple of  months. The lycan and moss on some of the trees and in this weather it looks really good.

Bark of a Tree

I caught the farmers lad who this year got a scrambler for Christmas thinking of going through the orchard on it. I put a stop to that. The kid is really lucky, last year he got a quad bike which he has broken this year he has a scrambler which he tells me has a top speed of 85 mph. He is no  older than 11/12years old. I'd be a little weary of giving kids that age such expensive gifts.

I didn't check on the bees, it too cold, perhaps next week. The kids didn't want to come down to the orchard. When i was leaving the house in the morning it was I was cold. By the time I left I was only thinking of getting home for a warm drink.

When I got home and told the kids about the ice they wanted to come down with me.  I had mentioned it when I was heading down They weren't Interested it was early and cold outside. I looked for birds and rabbits around the orchard; they had more sense and stayed in where they were snugged up warm I bet. This is also the time of the year when lots of pests get killed off. Which is good.

Lots of horse tracks in the orchard someone is riding through the mud.

Icy Flood water

More icy water

Wet weather brings flooding

Large Tree at sunset the tree is reflecting the sun's glow

Firstly Happy New Year all

Circle of coppiced willow in flood area

The past couple of weeks, since before Christmas have been very wet with the UK soaked from torrential rain. The orchard is pretty much in the center of England and like the rest of the country has been battered by heavy rain and winds. The parts of the orchards that have been flooded previously are flooded again the water is up to my shins in the worst affected area. 

I have no fruit trees in that part of the orchard instead  coppiced willow,  which may benefit from the excess water. More willow will be planted  down in a couple of weeks. The soil itself is water logged, with puddles and slippy mud all around. The stream next to the orchard is still about 2 feet from overflowing so i'm not concerned about that.

I still haven't put bovine manure under the final 3 rows of trees, but I will have to repair or replace the trolley, and wait for the weather to improve.

Entrance now accessible

Last week I noticed that the path entrance which previously had been blocked by tarmac had been cleared, and a path made to the gate. I cleared the weeds and its looking better. 

I'm not sure who cleared the tarmac  but many thanks. I have been trying for years with a large sledge hammer at the end of the day, mainly in the summer months to hack it down. It will mean walkers and others can wonder through to the orchard. They can enjoy the place probably as much as I do.

Hives in the orchard

The bees are fine and though I haven't been into the hives, they are still standing and they should contain enough food for a least a month hopefully by then I can get in and check on them. The bees had lots of food when I last checked I had previously moved  sugar fondant  so that it was directly over them.

This weekend I was down later  in the day than normal and I was around for the sunset. Which was nice as I hope some of the pictures show.

View from the orchard at Sunset

The horse trail now just a muddy path

The willow circle flooded