Management

Mowing - sporadic and generally conducted in spring and summer. Mowing is more frequent in the fruit tree rows and around the vegetable beds, also in the zone around the fruit tree rows where there is more foot traffic. I collect the cuttings in some areas, and this makes excellent nitrogen-rich material for the compost heap.

Management of the areas around fruit trees -  50cm width strips of Mypex (woven plastic material) were initially used in the fruit tree rows to suppress weed growth in the immediate planting area; however, in time grass and weeds grew around and even on top of it and with much effort we later took it up; since 2023 we have been adding composted wood chip in large circles around each tree. 

This wood chip consists mainly of composted small-diameter hazel and willow from Wakelyns Farm, an organic site within 15km, as well as some home-chipped lime sticks resulting from pruning some large lime pollards. The results are encouraging - there is increasing scientific evidence that the addition of composted woody material, particularly the type known as ‘ramial wood chip’ (chipped when the tree is in bud or leaf), enhances the growth of mycorrhizal fungi (those fungi which have a symbiotic relationship with tree roots) and hence improves the health of the tree. Certainly since the large-scale addition of this material, the condition particularly of the pears, which had been subject to considerable pear scab and splitting (and were the first to receive wood chip) has improved greatly.

Management of hedges and peripheral areas - this is really where I hope ‘benign neglect’ comes into play to enhance these areas for all sorts of wildlife. The hedges particularly are cut in sections around the boundary on a long time scale, that is, not very often. Sometimes a contractor hedge cutter is employed, but mostly I use a chainsaw and bowsaw. Blackthorn and bramble scrub are tackled with a combination of chainsaw, digging and attacking with a long-handled billhook.