Now I've escaped the clutches of the medical profession and the demands of clients, I was able to get back to the routine of cutting the grass in the orchard. There's been a lot happening on site, such as the battle against Himalayan Balsam, the opening of the Ecclesbourne Way, but the outstanding job list seems to keep growing.
We managed to cut most of the grass yesterday before it was time to leave. We'd let it grow way too long, so I'll need to get on-site with a rake to form some composting piles rather than leaving the cut grass to lay on the ground. The new hawthorn hedge is growing nicely, it will restore a 30 metre gap left by previous owners on the boundary hedge.I'd feared the worst for the fruit trees with the April frosts this year, but they seem to be flourishing in terms of foliage. We lost the cherries, we think to blackbirds while the fruit was still hard and green, but next year we'll have a anti-bird netting cage in place. I did notice a couple of apples on the Russet tree, and also a couple of pears. One of the trees is struggling, I think it is a magnesium deficiency giving poor foliage, but that can be easily addressed.
Our small ginko sapling suffered some frost damage, but it is fighting back and has produced some reasonable foliage. On the river banks the willow spiling planted last winter appears to have become established. This will help to prevent soil erosion.
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