Today I finished the 'topiary' on our large wild rose. This is not a precise term, as wild roses usually flourish in hedgerows and weave themselves in among the vegetation. Ours was sitting solitary on an untenanted (at the time) communal orchard and we moved it. Now that plot is thriving and is tended by some pleasant Romanians from a smallholding family, but I digress...
The rose, which we removed some years ago, was intended as rootstock. My husband was going to graft in a cultivated rose bud (he learned this in his first job working for a rose-grower south of the River). But time, other jobs and other priorities arose. (If you will excuse the pun). The rose thrived, grew and sent out many strong vertical shoots which we wove into a somewhat ramshackle trellis. This week we trimmed these back and wove in fresh shoots as best we could.
Our rose is now something between a rambler, a windbreak and a wildlife resource. Every autumn it gives us a show of bright rosehips. Perhaps one day I will make rosehip jelly from these. Thus far I have left them for the birds.
Today I looked 'through' the arch of our rose to the trees beyond it; the cherry, the Bramley apple and the eating apple at the end of the plot and remarked to M that I have my very own arbour. Famous garden writers and designers are paid good money for features like this.
Thursday 19 December 2013
Wednesday 18 December 2013
Renovation Pruning - older fruit trees
We consulted the Royal Horticultural Society's (RHS) November 2013 magazine for advice on pruning our largest apple tree. We have not done any substantial pruning of this tree, (although once in my novice days I cut off too many fruit bud branches) so I reckoned that we should count this as Year 1.
The first sentence read The initial priority is to restore the tree's health. So we went down to the plot armed with loppers and a saw as well as the customary secateurs.
The tree, which produces lovely eating apples, is on the boundary of one plot and overshadows a woodland bed I am creating with primulas, daffodils, hellebores and miniature irises. It was pruned in the past, but looking at it with fresh eyes I could see all manner of crossing branches that had been allowed to grow. We removed some of these. It took two of us, I held the branch and my husband used the saw.
Then I made a circuit of the perimeter of the tree shortening branches where possible and stood back. The advice is to open up the centre of the tree's crown to improve air circulation - hence the taking out of crossing branches - and also to remove one branch in four that is misplaced, unproductive or old.
Looking on the positive side, the tree is now certainly more open to the sunlight and air and I have left lots of fruit bearing branches on it. But it is above the recommended height and there are some branches that I might not have spared for the moment. As in horticulture so in life, this is a 'work in progress'.
The first sentence read The initial priority is to restore the tree's health. So we went down to the plot armed with loppers and a saw as well as the customary secateurs.
The tree, which produces lovely eating apples, is on the boundary of one plot and overshadows a woodland bed I am creating with primulas, daffodils, hellebores and miniature irises. It was pruned in the past, but looking at it with fresh eyes I could see all manner of crossing branches that had been allowed to grow. We removed some of these. It took two of us, I held the branch and my husband used the saw.
Then I made a circuit of the perimeter of the tree shortening branches where possible and stood back. The advice is to open up the centre of the tree's crown to improve air circulation - hence the taking out of crossing branches - and also to remove one branch in four that is misplaced, unproductive or old.
Looking on the positive side, the tree is now certainly more open to the sunlight and air and I have left lots of fruit bearing branches on it. But it is above the recommended height and there are some branches that I might not have spared for the moment. As in horticulture so in life, this is a 'work in progress'.
Tuesday 17 December 2013
Another fence story
Yesterday some kind friends provided winter employment for us. We set about methodically stripping ivy from their fence tendril by tendril. Once the ivy had gone, the wooden panels looked rather tattered and weatherbeaten. Their neighbour came out to see what we were doing.
Encounters with the folk next door can be trying. The words I dread are the request to stop messing with their plants and leave the fence alone followed by a long diatribe against the people who are employing us. The issues, unlike the ivy, are rarely clear cut, and although we often assume that the neighbour is in the wrong, there are two sides to the fence.
Our friends are blessed with a lovely neighbour. She thanked us for taking the ivy away and said that they were intending to replace the fence in the spring and that we had started well. Much relief.
Our friend, a fellow northerner, looked at the fence afterwards and wondered if most of the panels, with a little tinkering, could be saved. We feel that they should let the neighbours replace them all. But that is another story.
Encounters with the folk next door can be trying. The words I dread are the request to stop messing with their plants and leave the fence alone followed by a long diatribe against the people who are employing us. The issues, unlike the ivy, are rarely clear cut, and although we often assume that the neighbour is in the wrong, there are two sides to the fence.
Our friends are blessed with a lovely neighbour. She thanked us for taking the ivy away and said that they were intending to replace the fence in the spring and that we had started well. Much relief.
Our friend, a fellow northerner, looked at the fence afterwards and wondered if most of the panels, with a little tinkering, could be saved. We feel that they should let the neighbours replace them all. But that is another story.
Thursday 12 December 2013
Shrubberies
This week my husband obtained some more self-seeded holly weeded out from a customer's garden. I was trying to bring shape to her overgrown thicket of snowberries (Symphoricarpos).
The holly was destined for a home grown 'shrubbery' on a corner of our plot in front of the 'new fence'. We hope the plants will eventually fill out and flourish. At the back are various pieces of old fencing where we are re-establishing the honeysuckle which was dislodged by the 'new fence'. Then come a row of four tiny holly saplings. Positioned in a gap is a dwarf conifer that we once used as a substitute Christmas tree. Then an unwanted rhododendron from the customer with the snowberries - it had grown out laterally from the parent plant and rooted in - two jostaberries propagated from cuttings and finally a damson tree which is a transplanted offshoot of our large established tree. All, save the conifer, obtained free of charge.
As I look at our 'pocket handkerchief' shrubbery it brings me great pleasure. The paid work of pruning is never entirely done. But here, in small scale, is our own miniature and manageable shrubbery.
The holly was destined for a home grown 'shrubbery' on a corner of our plot in front of the 'new fence'. We hope the plants will eventually fill out and flourish. At the back are various pieces of old fencing where we are re-establishing the honeysuckle which was dislodged by the 'new fence'. Then come a row of four tiny holly saplings. Positioned in a gap is a dwarf conifer that we once used as a substitute Christmas tree. Then an unwanted rhododendron from the customer with the snowberries - it had grown out laterally from the parent plant and rooted in - two jostaberries propagated from cuttings and finally a damson tree which is a transplanted offshoot of our large established tree. All, save the conifer, obtained free of charge.
As I look at our 'pocket handkerchief' shrubbery it brings me great pleasure. The paid work of pruning is never entirely done. But here, in small scale, is our own miniature and manageable shrubbery.
Wednesday 11 December 2013
Grapevines - Part One
We went to the plot yesterday to prune the outdoor grapevine, the one we use for grape juice. Winter is the appropriate time of year to prune vines because they are dormant and the sap will not 'bleed' from the cut.
Before we set out I made sure that I consulted the book. When I taught ESOL my tutors used to say, always make sure that you understand the grammar point before you teach it. It is the same in gardening. As I read the book I learned that grapevines bear fruit on new wood and that they should be cut back to the first bud on that new wood. This sounds, and is indeed, pretty drastic. Nevertheless, in the spring, from that first bud a strong shoot emerges bearing flowers and then fruit.
M and I arrived in bright sunshine and looked at our sprawling vines which had shed all their leaves. First lesson - differentiate old wood which supports the new growth from new. The old is knarled and thick, the new is light brown and breaks easily. I demonstrated the correct angle of pruning to M, but yesterday she was happier to cut up stuff small for the brown bin. (When we have sharpened her secateurs maybe she will have another go.)
I worked my way methodically over the whole vine while M chopped. It did indeed look much tidier.
I casually mentioned to M (who has Continental ancestry) that they do things differently there. M looked at our eating grapes and said she saw no reason not to try. I think we will soon be doing viticulture 'for real', training our young vines .
I have given M the reference book.
Before we set out I made sure that I consulted the book. When I taught ESOL my tutors used to say, always make sure that you understand the grammar point before you teach it. It is the same in gardening. As I read the book I learned that grapevines bear fruit on new wood and that they should be cut back to the first bud on that new wood. This sounds, and is indeed, pretty drastic. Nevertheless, in the spring, from that first bud a strong shoot emerges bearing flowers and then fruit.
M and I arrived in bright sunshine and looked at our sprawling vines which had shed all their leaves. First lesson - differentiate old wood which supports the new growth from new. The old is knarled and thick, the new is light brown and breaks easily. I demonstrated the correct angle of pruning to M, but yesterday she was happier to cut up stuff small for the brown bin. (When we have sharpened her secateurs maybe she will have another go.)
I worked my way methodically over the whole vine while M chopped. It did indeed look much tidier.
I casually mentioned to M (who has Continental ancestry) that they do things differently there. M looked at our eating grapes and said she saw no reason not to try. I think we will soon be doing viticulture 'for real', training our young vines .
I have given M the reference book.
Monday 2 December 2013
Clearance
Our ongoing work on the 'wildlife hedge' of our orchard plot is now inspired by the new (replacement) fence. This weekend I transplanted two jostaberry bushes to fill a gap in the bed that has the honeysuckle. The damson tree that we moved there a couple of seasons ago now has room to breathe and more sunlight. M is coming tomorrow armed with the loppers to cut out more dead bramble canes.
Working from left to right we uncovered a rambling rose that we had wrongly assumed belonged to a household over the fence. We can now prune it and train it along the hedgeline.
As we cut out the dead blackberries we plan to replace them with a live hedge specifically holly which self-seeds in many of the gardens we tend. Our customers will be glad if we take this away. Holly will then provide shelter and food in its new location.
Winter is a good time for clearance. Last week a customer hired us for this very purpose. We filled all the recycling bins available to us. It will all break down eventually in the composting facilities that our group of boroughs support.
Clearance takes you back to the boundaries of garden and plot and gives you an idea of what is really there. Brambles, nettles, ivy are all hacked to the ground, chopped up small and dug out if time permits. Clearance gives you a chance to cherish what is worth keeping and replant in the gaps. Light comes in and you sense you are in a bigger and better space.
Working from left to right we uncovered a rambling rose that we had wrongly assumed belonged to a household over the fence. We can now prune it and train it along the hedgeline.
As we cut out the dead blackberries we plan to replace them with a live hedge specifically holly which self-seeds in many of the gardens we tend. Our customers will be glad if we take this away. Holly will then provide shelter and food in its new location.
Winter is a good time for clearance. Last week a customer hired us for this very purpose. We filled all the recycling bins available to us. It will all break down eventually in the composting facilities that our group of boroughs support.
Clearance takes you back to the boundaries of garden and plot and gives you an idea of what is really there. Brambles, nettles, ivy are all hacked to the ground, chopped up small and dug out if time permits. Clearance gives you a chance to cherish what is worth keeping and replant in the gaps. Light comes in and you sense you are in a bigger and better space.
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