Maintenance and Mulching...

It is that time of year and coincides with a synodic week of rest, for maintenance and mulching of fruit trees. So Mr VVG and I have been cutting larger circles out of the orchard grass, around each tree - we have a mix of plum, apples, medlar and quince - liming the soil and then mulching with a combination of our own compost and leafmold.

Medlar Fruit

The one tree that I mulched this way last year, as an experiment has such beautiful dark and crumbly soil, that we are now widening this to all trees. I have also mown the grass off hard for what I suspect may be the final time this year. We have raked the slowly falling leaves, only 10% drop so far, but have already filled the chicken wire cage to about two thirds full. I smile as I realise that at the same time as riddling our compost heap to reveal a bin full of usable compost, we have filled two more. As we utilise last year's leafmold, we are refilling with this his year's. Gardening is a cycle. Mother Nature has a pattern, a path to follow if you like, the wheel keeps turning.