Spring Work in the Orchard

We've been hard at work in the orchard recently, ready to welcome the Northumbria in Bloom judges.

Tom's cut the grass with the tractor and the used the lawn mower to trim the edges of the paths. He's also strimmed around all the signs.

Here's the new ramp to the belvedere. It still needs the footpath taken to its edge. At the moment wheelchair users have to do a bit of 'off-roading' to get to it!

We've 112 trees now - this is looking down the row of  M106 apples

keeping the orchard paths free of weeds is still a challenge. Here's Tom flame weeding (again). It keeps his wellies warm!

This smart new donations box was an antique letter box. It's been mended, painted and attached to the belevere with a brass plaque. We're very grateful to Cheryl Grieve for the donation which made the restoration possible - we had £4 in it last week, which will go towards the gas for flame weeding the paths :)

The herb beds

It's the judging for Northumbria in Bloom on the 29th of April, so I've been tidying up the orchard herb beds. I planted nasturtiums, which is said to deter codling moth... not that we have any fruit yet, but it's good to be prepared :)

I added an organic compost to the herb bed soil.

The new belvedere ramp

 and donation box

Alice walked up to join me. It's not easy digging invasive mint out of a raised bed!

The medlar in bud