Summer Pruning and water

Another hot week but I don't have to remind you lot, we have all been sweltering. I cannot complain though, I long for this weather during the dark Winter months, the warm mornings, hair drying in seconds, a gentle spray from the hose and you are sorted again. I really do love it. I just don't think I was made for it. I go bright red and slow down to the pace of a Tortoise.

Still we achieved a lot this week, mainly Summer Pruning Apple trees and Pear. We followed the 'Modified Lorette System' of pruning. Sounds pretty fancy doesn't it? All it means is you need to prune the wispy new growth/shoots back to allow light to reach the fruit and to put energy back into the tree/fruit. At Heale there are Apple Tunnels, so restricted growth on trees that have been trained to grow along wires. It was hot work this week and we had to use ladders to go through and up above the trees. A great birds eye view!

I had an early morning practice on a little espalier round out of view and then helped with the main Veg garden trees.

Michael and Michael worked hard together moving methodically along the tunnels, pruning everything in reach and then moving along again

Watering needs doing all the time at mo, mixture of sprinklers, cans, hoses, I do love it when it is so hot you don't mind getting wet. A dip of the toe in the river at lunch 'aint half bad either. What a luxury working by the river.

I also helped trim Yew this week, early formations of the plant into a ball shape. We weeded and re-netted plants along the river, those pesky rabbits and deer won't know what's hit them when they try and nibble the stems next time.

I am really starting to feel like I know bits of the garden now, it takes time. Even just watering makes you visit parts you wouldn't ordinarily visit. I am appreciating more of it now, in more depth rather than surface wow factor. Just coming for two days, you miss a lot in between! Looking forward to the next time.