Hilly Fields Orchard Update

Fran has been in touch with an update on the orchard at Hilly Fields which by all accounts appears to have been a great success this year with the addition of a couple of pear and mulberry trees and the mini meadow.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR LOOKING AFTER 
THE APPLE, PEAR AND MULBERRY TREES ON HILLY FIELDS!

All the trees are looking very healthy - well watered and free of weeds.  New laminated labels have been attached  to replace the worn-out ones.  In our usual weather pattern there would be lots of rain now and much cooler temperatures, and we wouldn't need to water any more until next April.  However, given the high temperatures and dry spell we are having, if you aren't already doing so, it would be a good idea to give the trees a soak until autumn proper sets in!

The mini-meadow has  been really colourful and there are still poppies and ox-eye daisies in flower, but once they all stop flowering, they will need to be cut down, left for the seeds to set for 4-5 days and then the cuttings will be raked up so that there's no mulching down of the dead plants (this gives too  much nutrient which meadow flowers don't need).

Apart from that, I'd just like to say that you've all done a great job, and after the meadow management there shouldn't be anything to do until next Spring, but we will be Wassailing the trees in the New Year to help them grow!