To the plot & back ...: For the love of the apple...

Ha what else would you do on Valentine's day but shovel s#@t? It was all for the love of the apple though so well worth it.

I've been desperate to get these poor little trees in. They arrived in a snowstorm, I was so impressed they got to me at all (thanks Ashridge trees!) I'd just got the message that I had a snow day from work thankfully cos the buses had given up and I really didn't fancy the long walk to work but I had no chance of getting them planted even though for once I had the time.

The snow didn't move from the allotment for nearly 2 weeks so they are well an truly over due, I'm praying that they will do ok considering how long they've had to wait, I kept the roots covered and damp so my fingers are crossed.

Beautiful...but no chance!

My soil is heavy clay, I did the boot check...definitely clay...very heavy wet clay, hence the manure. I'm hoping they will thank me for it and grow into photographically productive trees.

I wanted originally to train them into step over trees but I'm thinking perhaps 2 tiers might be better. Well that decision was made for me when I saw how tall they were even as one year old maidens and couldn't bring myself to chop them down so much. I'm discovering that I am a very naïve and sentimental gardener. I even found myself gently moving a slug from my celeriac to somewhere it could do less damage ( my celeriac hasn't really worked, all leaves and no root, must do better this year!)...im thinking that come spring and I have more young plants to lose the slugs are more likely to become hen food, so feast now mollusks your days are numbered;)

I've planted a Coxs Orange Pippin and James Grieve because after my homework about step over trees they seemed to tick all the right boxes as well as sound very tasty, here's hoping!