The Oxhill News

This months News

Contents

Wot2Grow Community Orchard

September was a busy month so thanks to members and friends for much hard work over several weekends.

We completed the turf lifting and digging for the new bushes and canes. The soil was very dry and hard so a fork/pick axe combination was needed to loosen the soil and break up the pan  followed by a rotivator to break up the soil to a fine tilth ready for planting.

Much  weeding was done - never completed! - especially an attack on the dandelions by one of our members.... The tree positions have been marked out in anticipation of getting a sub-soiler in to break up the pan prior to planting in December. 

We had a  fascinating training session with John Edgeley , a great teacher,  who took us through every step demonstrating then letting us try for ourselves. Holes were dug for posts at either end of the raspberry rows and intermediate poles at 10m intervals, hard work even with the help of a "post slammer" or bonker as John called it! Wires were then threaded through staples and finished off with gripples for tensioning. John then explained the methods and timing of pruning all the canes and bushes.

On leaving it really looked like a proper orchard with the initial management of the canes installed and a wonderful fence that defines the area that is The Orchard.  Mike Smith did the stock proof fencing  along with the pipes to get mains water onto the site after Severn Trent complete their bit.

Do visit the orchard  and see how much we have progressed but  be careful about the training wires stretched between the posts.

Visit the web-site! www.wot2grow.co.uk

If you require more information please contact one of the team

This site is maintained by villagers of Oxhill for the benefit of the community and those interested in the history, news and activities that make the village such a pleasant place to live.

Last modified: November 23, 2011