It is apple tree pruning time again in the garden at the moment.
At Potager we rescued some lines of abandoned nursery stock and carved out what looks like an orchard. The trees had been planted by the previous owner for sale bare rooted, it would be great to hear from anyone who has memories of buying a plant from High Cross Nursery between 1980 and 1990 especially an apple tree they still have. It was around 1990 that the nursery fell asleep and our apple trees grew and became covered in a blanket of brambles. Blackberries, a perfect compliment to the apples in crumbles and jams but impenetrable in a garden orchard had grown up and almost suffocated the trees whose apples we could just see being held up above the invaders when we first viewed the nursery in August 1999.
On Saturday the 23rd January I welcomed visitors at Constantine's Tolman Centre ' Talk and Taste ' day to sample some preserves I had made using apples and explained the idea of the Transition Towns movement to them. As part of Transition Constantine's work for a more sustainable parish I have joined the food group and offered to teach apple tree pruning in the garden. Sharing this skill will hopefully enable others to have more productive healthier trees in their own gardens.
The first class we taught one on one, each person a different aspect of pruning, they then passed on what they had learned to the others. This method concentrates the mind of the learner who only truly understands what they have learned by explaining it in their own way.
The second Saturday there were too many and we had to teach the group as a whole. We pruned a young tree in the new fruit garden before moving on to a slightly older tree in the vegetable patch.
Using sharpened secateurs and new saws the group cut and shaped the tree with confidence.
At the Talk and Taste Day I launched ' Potager Garden Preserves '. The idea, similar to a 'wine club ', but for me more on the lines of a Community Supported Agriculture – CSA, is that people make a commitment to buy 12 of my preserves each year. This will give them first pick of each batch I make and inspire me to make the chutneys,j ams and pestos. Knowing who my customers will be sits very comfortably with me. I am currently very excited about making some pine needle vinegar which is said to be as good as a balsamic! At the Tolman Centre I was giving away tasters of my sugar free mincemeat, curried tomato relish and lime marmalade all containing apples and surprisingly green tomatoes. I am also looking forward to developing more recipes from our peaches and figs from France.
As winter shows signs of spring, glimmers of life returning to the garden later than usual, we are looking forward to a new season and being able to welcome visitors to the garden on both Saturdays and Sundays this year.
