Grafted Tree news

This week, with the help of Peter Nichol from the Northern Fruit Group, the trees that were created at our March grafting workshop were pruned. Mainly this involved pruning out the growth underneath the graft, where the rootstock was growing vigourously. This was also an opportunity to look closely at how the trees were growing and to take the tape off a few to see how the union between the rootstock and the scion had taken.

For first time grafters there was some very good work (said Peter). None of the plum grafts took, but the rootstock has bulked up over the year, offering a better chance of success next year. The other interesting development is that where the grafting failed some of the rootstock has branched out - providing two stems on which to graft. This means we could grow a damson on one side and a greengage on the other (for example). These are called family trees, and are available commercially, but we will be able to choose material from particularly tasty plums or apples available on the allotment site or from other communtity orchards locally to graft.

We have 30 apple trees, some of which are duplicates. The most prolific grafters were Teresa and Natalia who both created 6 trees with Pete creating 5 trees.

New Path and Fencing

On Friday 17th September OTAGS community orchard volunteers worked with Wates Living Space NW to lay a path and construct fencing for the orchard. We were lucky to have great weather on the day. For more on this see the Partnership Working page and the photos of the various stages of this job.

Thanks to all who took part.

Making progress

Our last work day (4th September) was very productive. Many thanks to everyone who came and helped. We had 8 people working hard. A new volunteer, Ayla helped dig up potatoes planted to use the ground while we get ready for planting in the winter. We hope to see her again at another work day (and hope you enjoy those potatoes)!

Our grafted trees are growing well too - so well that their tags needed adjusting, as the girth of their stems had grown so that the tags were squeezing the bark.

We have a community day on Friday 17th September when Wates Living Space will be coming to the community orchard to work with us on laying a path and fencing. The fencing which will be used to plant some of the grafted trees.

For some photos see the Work Days page.

Work Day Saturday 4th September

We will be having a work day from 2 pm on 4th September in preparation for having the path and fencing work done the following week. Do come along if you can spare and hour or two.

Apple Day Celebration October 16th

OTAGS will be hosting an Apple Day on October 16th from 12-3 pm. This is a new event which we hope will become regular, with apple tasting and juicing (using our new apple press). After the success of the See More Trail at our Open Day in August we will be running another See More Fruit Trail as a way of encouraging people to walk around the site - with a series of fruity clues to entice them.

Fruity pies and cakes (baked by plotholders) will be sold along with the usual refreshments.

As always we need people to help make this happen. If you'd be interested in helping on the day please get in touch debbie.ellen@gmail.com!

Where: Seymour Grove Allotments, Warwick Court, off Kings Road (next to Kings Road Primary school), M16 0JG.

When: Saturday October 16th 12-3 pm.

Open Day - 14th August 2010

Old Trafford Amateur Gardeners' Society is holding an Open Day on Saturday 14th August at Seymour Grove Allotments, celebrating National Allotments Week. Come and see the orchard!

Our gates will be open from 12-3 pm . You can find us on Warwick Court, Off Kings Road, Old Trafford, M16 0JG (Warwick Court is beside Kings Road Primary School)

On offer on the day:

Seasonal produce donated for sale by plotholders (subject to availability given the dry conditions this season - so come early!)
Home made cream teas, with allotment jams
Car Boot Sale
"See More" Trail for kids
Take a walk around our allotment site, see how our gardens grow
Find out about the Community Orchard - get involved!
Enjoy some quiet family time in the fresh air

All proceeds from the day go to Old Trafford Amateur Gardeners' Society to run the allotment site.

June and July work days

We have organised two more Community Orchard work days in June and July. If you haven't been down yet it would be great to see you. Also, if you have family or friends who are interested in growing fruit who might like to get involved in the project please let them know about the work days - as we want the project to be open to people who live locally.

Dates for diaries:

Saturday June 19th 2-6 pm
Saturday July 3rd 2-6 pm

NB If its pouring down then we won't be there. If in doubt, give me a call on 07960 713 018

Directions: plot is in the far right hand corne of the allotment site. Access is via Warwick Court gate, off Kings Road (next to the primary school). If the gates are shut please ring me and I'll come and let you in - 07960 713 018.

Progress is being made; during the last work day (well on the Sunday as the Saturday was rained off) we worked at taming some of the long grass and a particularly dedicated volunteer spent hours digging out all kinds of rubbish from the bottom end of the orchard (9 wheel barrows to be precise, from an area about 3 ft by 13 ft), taking advantage of a skip provided by OTAGS for the whole allotment site that weekend.

We have also planted some crops in the top half of the orchard where the ground has been dug numerous times, removing the mass of bindweed and couch grass. Also, a couple of dedicated volunteers have been offered some space for one growing season to use ground that would otherwise have lain fallow prior to planting trees there next winter.

Hope to see some of you on the orchard soon!