Orchard wassailing is an indigenous English ritual with records dating back as far as the 11th century, and is still performed by the tribes of the South West in cider orchards Here we come a-wassailing! Traditionally performed on the 12th night after Christmas, January 5th or 6th, some people may accuse me of being a… Continue reading Apple Orchard Wassailing
Tag: fruit tree
Belfast’s Phantom Fruit Tree Planter
We don’t need to sell anyone here on the virtues of masks and dogs, but joining a Paramilitree organisation at my age seemed impossible “Ah, go on” says the Phantom Planter in a musical Irish voice, “you will, you will” All you need is the dogs, safety masks, your mate Dave with a spade, and… Continue reading Belfast’s Phantom Fruit Tree Planter
Chadderton Plants Community Orchard for Giants
Making Community Orchards work is blooming tough, and it helps if you start with the right size trees We are in full armchair gardener mode on this one. Granby Street in Chadderton, Greater Manchester, is bravely attempting a community orchard, the first of 4 planned in the area. Community Orchards, like communities in general, are usually… Continue reading Chadderton Plants Community Orchard for Giants
Why I love hazelnuts. Or cobnuts?
What is the difference between a cobnut and a filbert? Are they the same thing, with regional variations of nomenclature? Is a filbert the fancier version of a cobnut with a longer husk? And how do they relate to hazelnuts? There must be a kernel of truth in there somewhere… Kent is where you’ll find… Continue reading Why I love hazelnuts. Or cobnuts?
Heritage Fruit: History in the Garden
Growing and harvesting fruit is one of the great joys of gardening. Nothing quite matches the luxury of eating warm raspberries and blueberries straight from the garden, picking the first rosy Worcester Pearmain of the season in September, or finding the soft fuzz has rubbed off the quinces in mid-October, revealing shiny yellow pear-shaped fruits… Continue reading Heritage Fruit: History in the Garden
Bring on the blossom
Every year the anticipation mounts. I look out of my bedroom window at the ornamental plum tree on the street, scouring its deep claret branches for signs that the colour is changing, life stirring within. Subtly, from a solid winter opacity to something with just a hint of deepest rose. Sometimes I think I see… Continue reading Bring on the blossom
Growing Fruit Trees at High Altitude
We get lots of enquiries about growing fruit trees in the UK at altitude, often from people who have seen Sepp Holzer at over 3600ft in Austria. We would love to sell as many orchards as we can, but for most honest gardeners in the UK, it will be very difficult to copy high altitude… Continue reading Growing Fruit Trees at High Altitude
How to prune Cordon Fruit Trees
This is just about pruning cordons – there is a much longer piece on growing cordon fruit trees if you would like to know more. Cordons should be pruned every year around mid-August (i.e. about now). Your cordon is ready for pruning when the new side shoots from the main stem(s) become woody at their… Continue reading How to prune Cordon Fruit Trees