Branching Out

A tree, in a car, today. Fancy that!

Just back from the plot, which, if things continue apace, is going to have to be referred to in future as the orchard. You see we've expanded our fruit tree empire by 100%, adding an apple to the plum that we planted a couple of weeks ago. Heady times. In so doing we've also rediscovered (we had been once before, but then sort of forgot where it was) a genuinely excellent garden centre. Cowell's, near Woolsington, had an impressively comprehensive range of all manner of fruit trees and were able to dispense some really useful advice about planting them. Never again, Homebase.

The only downside to hearing about what you're meant to do with fruit trees was that we realised that our "dig a hole and bung it in the ground" approach to the plum we'd bought a couple of weeks ago probably wasn't sufficient. So, up it (very gently) came, before the hole was mixed with plenty grit to improve drainage, some bone, fish and blood and some rose, tree and shrub compost. We then put in a stake and loosely attached the tree with a rubber tie. Like responsible parents we can now rest easy knowing that any issues the thing has are not down solely to our regret. Phew.

A well-treat plum.

The apple we purchased from the aforementioned garden centre (a Cox's Orange Pippin, sure the chieftain of the apple clan?) was then given similar treatment. There's something quite satisfying about digging a good sized hole in the ground, I suggest you give it a go, even if you don't have a fruit tree to plant. If you do, well, all the better.

Toni and I, digging.

Satisfaction

Oooh, look: a GIF! Nice one, Google Plus.

Anyway, after a good dig the thing was carefully lowered into its new home after teasing out the roots. Here's hoping both these trees reward us with some fruit next year. I'm pretty bloody excited about the prospect of good eating apples I don't mind telling you. We deliberately bought a tree on a rootstock that should allow it to grow big enough to perhaps provide a bit of shade on the plot, as currently there is none at all.

What fruit tree or bush should we go for next? Gooseberry is a definite possibility, but I also fancy something a bit more idiosyncratic. Perhaps a mirabelle or a damson?

Staking a claim.