More orchard

Living on a farm with plenty of land to play with allows me to grow so much more than I could and in fact did on an urban block. When we lived in Sydney we had grapes, passionfruit, a couple of citrus trees and an apple tree. The orchard we have on the farm is in two sections, one established and as shown below, the new orchard. There has been disappointment along the way. In 2009 I planted a lot of heritage apple trees only to have drought and grasshoppers destroy them. Like most optomistic gardeners I replanted another ten new heritage apples in the summer of 2011 as feathered maidens.

So in a year, the feathered maiden apple trees(baby trees) are definitely not productive but they are growing and showing promise. I think it is that promise that keeps many a gardener interested and passionate about what they do. This season I had a few fruits on some of these tiny trees and it was difficult to do but remove the fruit I did in the best interest of the trees.

If I lived on a small block again and my choices were limited by space I would choose only what we would gain the most from. I wouldn't be growing a medlar that's for sure. I haven't tasted the fruit before and I don't even know where the fruit would be available to purchase. It is certainly a strange looking fruit and to be truthful the idea of bletting the fruit prior to eating them is a little off putting.

The turkeys, dad, 'teens' and chicks (mum is still incubating duck eggs) are enjoying the work I have done topping up the mulch.

Tracy