Give your fruit trees a warning!

A snell wind today to use a good Scots word, but the sun was shining. The winter fruit pruning workshop on Sunday was even more popular than usual with about 40 people turning up to watch George Anderson demonstrate how to use winter pruning to get the most out of the fruit trees and bushes.

The Victoria plum rarely fruits well for us, often because the frost kills off the blossom, so this year we shall cover it in fleece before the buds break and hope that helps the blossom to set. We also have put the spade in round half of the root spread of the tree to cut through some of the roots which will give it a warning!  This is actually a technique to encourage fruiting on trees.

Today we finished off the pruning job and had a bonfire to burn the prunings and warm us up. The wood ash is a useful source of potash and will be spread around the fruit trees.

A couple of the edges to the raised beds were also replaced.

We are still getting a good picking from the kale, leeks and cabbages and today we had the first of the ‘Petit Posy’ which is a cross between kale and Brussel sprouts.

Diary Date

Potato Day at Bridgend on Sunday 25 February, 11am – 2pm

Jobs for next week

• Weaving in the hazel and willow if it is not too cold
• General weeding