April Update

The very warm days during mid March have spurred the leaves and buds to open on all our fruit trees and bushes. The cherries, pears and plums are now starting to bloom. Cooler temperatures and the on going shortage of soil moisture availability will have a detrimental influence on the success of fruit set and also how well the fruitlets develop. However, the cooler weather is holding back the apple flowers, last year April was very hot and dry and the flowers bloomed very early, in Mid April. We are starting to have a few April showers, But we need a good few inches before the month is out, when the apples are flowering next month, they will need the moisture.

We are beginning to establish some early crops in our old Dutch Light Structure and should have round french beans to pick early in June followed by carrots, and from outside, cherries. We are using permaculture techniques in the glasshouse to combat the dry weather, and have planted out our beans, tomatoes and carrots into new raised beds. These wooden raised beds are mulched with compost and cardboard and we have planted our carrots, beans and tomatoes into that, this has kept the ground moist over the dry weather and has created a workable soil without digging, whilst suppressing weeds simultaneously. The borders of the raised beds, which hold in the soil have been made with recyled materials, such as old broken apple bins. By constructing raised beds we can build more topsoil in the glasshouse; improving fertility, soil structure and moisture retention.

More pictures to follow.

The glasshouse ground has been mulched with compost and cardboard, we will try to only walk on the paths to reduce soil compaction.

By constructing raised beds we can build more topsoil in the glasshouse, improving fertility, soil structure and moisture retention.