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   Baldons Community Orchards    16 January, 2021

Baldons Community Orchards
 
You may have noticed that the first community orchard area has now been planted opposite Parsonage Farm, where there are 9 apple trees. We would have liked to have involved the community in the planting but unfortunately the trees arrived during the November lockdown so this was not possible.
 
The apple trees planted are the following species: Cox’s Orange Pippin, Blenheim Orange, Ashmead Kernel, Lord Lambourne, James Grieve, Ribston Pippin, Darcy Spice, Lewis Incomparable and Spartan.
 
We are commissioning an information board for the apple orchard. We also have permission from the Parish Council and Queen’s to plant 3 bird cherry trees (Prunus padus) across the ditch from the orchard and to put in a bench and some insect boxes as well as a plank bridge across the ditch.
 
We are now turning our thoughts to the second community orchard area which will be a pear orchard. We hope to plant 6 pear trees and about 5 hazel trees (to provide screening) in the autumn.
 
This area was covered with brambles so requires extensive work. Many thanks to John Mason for the huge amount of work he has already done cutting the brambles down. We hope to organise some working parties to dig up as many of the roots as we can, when this is allowed under Covid rules and providing we can do so in a Covid-secure way – so if you enjoy this kind of thing we would appreciate your help! Then we will need to spray the area. If you have other suggestions as to how to effectively get rid of brambles please let us know.
 
Ali Barne, Diana Belli, Lizie Giraudeau and Sarah Marchant

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