The Apple Crop

Trees went into the polycrub that I put up .

 

And we put some of the trees in the AppleCrub i erected 

 (taken on the sunny day  in June)

And we have some that are planted on the bank. 

And as its getting colder, the leaves are falling , as are the fruit,  so its picking time,. 

 

13.9 Kg of apples . Some will keep into the winter in the cool, dry shed outside. 

 

 

The Applecrub -part 1

 The trees that we brought up  here have never  dproduced any fruit when planted outside - even though we have tried to find sheltered spots 

The trees that went into the polycrub have done really well, producing lots of fruit. 

Last year I built a raised bed in a sheltered spot and we moved some of the fruit trees into it . They have done a little better, but not prodiced any edible fruit. 

So the next plan is to protect them . They dont  make a polycrub that fits on a raised bed 4m x1.5m. Some timber and plastic corrugated sheeting was ordered in April. Because of Covid its just been delivered to Orkney. 

We will still need access to the trees for pruning and picking and weeding and other stuff. 

So: 

The trees in the polycrub have behaved a little strangely compated to the Northeast of England - we suspect its not cold enough  for them to be  largely dormant  through the winter. 

So the East-facing side will get  removable panels. And a  corrugated plastic panels and roof will go on.  Initally the plans were to leave the ends  open. But the back is well-sheltered , so  it may be that the edn get sheetd and we leave the back largely open. 

watch this space 

 

Visitors

Some are unwanted  - a wasp nest in the polycrub

But also a fledgling greenfinch 

winter vegetables

Its cold and wet and muddy and windy outside.

But its not like that in the polycrub.

I  sowed some brocolli seeds at the end of the summer, and they have been slowly doing their own thing  and we can now start  picking the heads . 

And the curly kale continues to grow and sprout new leaves 

The over-wintered cabbage has been slow to get going and is nowhere near ready to pick

And the purple sprouting brocolli grows well - this is about 5 feet tall. Lots of leaves.
but no pickable heads yet

Strawberries are  doing weel - hopefully some early fruits in a while

And we still have the leeks and carrots that we started  digging up in September are still going strong and will be harvested in due course

Almost year-round self-sufficiency ?

poycrub in the sun

the sun hits the house from on 20th ,21st or 25th January. The polycrub is a bit further to the North than the house

 And it gets the sun a bit earlier - today in fact

 see - the polycrub casts a shadow.

from the sun above the hill .

And the polycrub contents..

We still have Kale, leeks and carrots pickable. And some brocolli I planted at the end of the summer is coming on.

Slugs, mice or rats

We made a mistake in planting  4 courgette plants.
Courgettes hide amongst the foliage and turn into marrows.
large marrows.
The biggest we have  grew was 2.4 Kg.
So friends, neighbours and work colleagues have benefited

And marrows arew actually apretty uninspring vegetable, but there is marrow gratin  and marrow and carrot soup. The latter is actually  quite good.

But something has been getting at the escaped courgettes

Probably not rats- its diffuclt tos ee hoe they could get in but a  rat box will hopefully dissuade them form coming back .

Vandalism.

We accidentally left on eof the gates open .
And the geese took advantage.
They found their way into the polycrub.

And enjoyed the kale

And enjoyed the carrots

And there is nothing left of the lettuce.

Ao we wont be leaving a gate open again .

The trees

We brought the apple trees up with us  and they really haven't done anything, regardless of what we have tried to  protect them.
Putting treed in the polycrub has been a success - but there is a limit to how many we put in  without comprimising any other stuff we want to grow.

The tree in the polycrub produced some apples last year - hopefully more this year.









 But one , planted in a sheltered spot near the house has  at least put on a lot of growth .












So I decided to build a raised bed

Which got filled with soil and decoartively enclosed with some stone that is lying around

And now has 6  apple trees  in it

 So we shall see what happens later in the year.

Polycrub in January

So it has withstood the 70mph winds - must be somthign to do with the 3.4tonne of concrete round the  posts.

And we had a fair bit of produce out of it last year , in spite of the late start.

And its January , so  there isnt much daylight at the moment , and anyway the polycrub (and house) dont get direct sunlight for another couple of weeks .

And stuff is still growing in the polycrub

Weve got purple sprouting brocolli  - this thing is almost 5' tall , but with no  purple heads yet

And a pea must have fallen from where they were growing last year .
And its sprouted, so ive put a few more alongside it and we'll see if we get some early peas.

And the artichokes are continuing to grow
















And the vine has picked up , after an initial stumble



















And i didnt think this was supposed to happen  in January .

What to do ?

Tree in the polycrub

So when we came here we brought some fruit trees up with us. Most survived  but  in  spite of our best efforts  at protecting from the wind , they havent  provided  us with any fruit so far . This year has been much warmer , so there is some fruit on some trees . We shall have to wait and see what the eventuial yield is

The windbreak 

the tree that is struggling a bit 

And a row of trees are protected at one side by some bushes a stone wall  a bank, and by windbreak netting at the other. they have prodiced some fruit 

And we have planted some on a bank.

And they  are doing a bit better. For most of them the top part of the tree has died - probably exposed to just too mych wind in the winter Most have fruit . Interestingly its low down, near the ground

  So seeing how the trees in the polycrub have done ,  I want to provide some protection for through the winter.

But how ?

I  could build another polycrub and then move them all into it . Or i could provide some protection for where they are .
The problems :

• it would be difficult to  conncrete anything into the ground 
• the trees are all about 4 feet tall 
• The trees need to be accessible

Ideas ?