Pruning / Strawberries / Trough
Posted: Monday 27 February, 2023
w/e Sunday 26th February
Another short entry this week - not because nothing is happening but much of what I’m spending time on at the moment isn’t smallholding.
As is usual for the time of year, the weather has been changeable – some stiff breezes, often from the North, a bit of rain, some sun and temperatures from 0C to 10C.
Dan’s been pruning apple trees most days; his new long pruner is proving to be a good buy. He’s done two of six paddocks – but these are the older and therefore bigger trees that take longer. He’s aiming to do an hour each day after work. If he manages that, he'll be done my mid March. A few trees weren't pruned last year, so they will be a bit more work.
He also had the hedge trimmer out today cutting back an old wild rose, and the invading raspberries and salmonberry, in the front garden. There are a few trees to come down, including some massive pines. We'll replant in teh autumn, along with filling in the gaps in the orchard. We haven’t really done much in the front garden – just not had time – but we hope to get tore in this year.
Front lawn before.
And after.
I’ve been weeding – quelle surprise. I let the ponies into the vegetable garden to eat off the old grass. I didn’t expect them to plodge about on the raised beds quite so much. So that’s the end of that – although they have done a good job on the grass. This afternoon, I lifted a few strawberry runners and put them in one of the new hanging baskets in the polytunnel. Dan’s ordered more hooks for the rest.
Strawberry basket.
This stone trough has been lying around for 13 years; today it was relocated and it’s going to have a little solar water pump to make a wee water feature. Just need to decide on the pump now – too much choice and too little knowledge.
Fledgling water feature.
Big list for next week.
