Relocating the trees

Well, in the valley there are some trees -  being east-facing it gets enough protection to allow the trees to grow to about 10 feet ( and to be big enough  to get in the way of the  truck!).


We have had trees at the allotment in Newcastle, whoever takes on the allotment may not want 50 trees and you cant really sell them.
So we  decided to take them with us. The idea that we are going to try and grow apple trees in Orkney has led to raised eyebrows ( to put it politely !)  from Orcadians.

After being heavily pruned , we spent a day digging them up , and then in groups of 2 or 3 ,wrapping the roots in damp straw  and putting them in a sack.  As moving day is busy we had to do this a week before moving.




So they were then kept in the now-empty hen run. Stacked up and regularly watered, we were lucky that it wasn't too hot, but  a few of them  were wilting after 3 days, but we persevered with the straw and watering, and when the day came , they were staked in the trailer and off we went.

I was asked at Aberdeen if I had livestock in the trailer but they still checked when I said  " no , just trees".



 On arriving in Orkney we needed somewhere to 'store them' whilst deciding on  suitably sheltered areas.
So we found a sheltered area 'out the back' .

and heeled the trees in.

Heeling in trees

• dig a shallow trench
• lay the tree roots in the trench
• cover the roots with soil ( and we used the straw that had been used to transport the trees)
• water well.