Orchard volunteering session, Sat 3 Feb 2024, 10.30am

There will be another volunteer session at the community orchard on Saturday 3rd February, 10.30 -12.30. We shall be doing winter jobs: pruning, weeding, mulching and checking guards and posts. Rendezvous in the orchard which is at the south end of Ladywell Fields, near the Bournville Road entrance. Boots and old clothes recommended. Under 16s only with close supervision. Bring your own gloves and secateurs if you have them, but some will also be available to borrow. 

Please email ladywellfields@yahoo.co.uk if interested, so we can gauge numbers and let you know if we have to cancel due to wet weather.  

New trees for our community orchard

We started 2024 by planting three new apples trees in the orchard. They are heritage varieties--Rosemary Russet, James Grieve and Ellison's Orange--all on MM106 rootstock, which is semi vigorous and means they will match the height of the other trees in time. They replace the Avalon plum trees which sadly, we lost as a result of the 2022 summer drought.

Rosemary Russet is a late dessert apple, first recorded in 1831 in Middlesex. The fruits are juicy with an excellent sharp but sweet flavour. Ready to pick early to mid October.

James Grieve is a dual use apple from Edinburgh which was first recorded in 1893. Its apples are very sharp early in the season but mellow without losing flavour by December. Pick early to mid September.

Ellison's Orange is a dessert apple from Lincolnshire which came from a Cox cross. It was first recorded in 1904 and used to be commercially available. It has a distinctive flavour, developing an aniseed taste by the end of October. Pick mid- Late September. 

If you would like to become involved in caring for the orchard please email ladywellfields@yahoo.co.uk.