The Paddock
As part of the development of the paddock on ‘sustainable lines’, it seemed an attractive idea to plant some apple trees on the slope at the back of the paddock. We went for some out of the ordinary varieties, and some that had a record of getting on with our climate. In 2019 the second summer, we have seen fruiting beginning.
Here’s a record of some of our tree varieties:
“George Fox” – we had to choose this one – is growing strongly at the back, but we have to check hedge-growth enthusiasm from behind, to protect the trees in the future.
“Lord Clyde” came from a graft by someone in one of our member’s family. A beautiful round- fruited dual purpose apple, is doing well.
“Burr Knot”, another from our Friend’s family, is a known survivor in Cumbria Fells over 900 feet.
“Reverend W Wilkes”, we have some anxiety over this variety. It is favoured by many shops as the best of cooking apples (try baking with raisins, butter, rum and brown sugar stuffing – it’s a dream) We bought a ‘standard’ sized specimen (20 foot or more when mature) but it faltered in its first season. However, it has shown resolution and it seems to want to make a go of it now.
Being the winter of 2019/2020 as I write this, it is time to secure the stakes, check that the labels are intact (there is no such thing as an “apple tree”) and clear the ground below a bit. Let’s hope the weather is not too punishing!
