YIKES! Rabbits damage our Fruit Trees :(

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO HELP protect ourgarden against rabbits by making a small donation!
Read on to understand why!

Despite putting up rabbit fencing when we started our garden, rabbits are burrowing in!  We are currently fighting a losing battle against them as they have made several large warrens in the steep bank in the woodland beyond our boundary fence.  Unfortunately they have recently chewed the bark off our prize fruit trees (cordons, step-overs and espalier) which may well die as a result.

One of many deep holes that come in under our rabbit wire (which is already buried 30cm deep)

We have now protected the trees individually (though it may be too late for them!)

On a more positive note, we are trying to do something about it!  We have started laying weed barrier and rabbit wire on the bank to stop them digging holes.  We need more money however as this is an unforeseen cost.  If you can, please help us with a small donation - we are trying to raise £664!!  This will cover the cost of weed barrier and rabbit wire for the large bank along the length of the garden.  It will also help us replace some of the trees that die and to protect some beds with hoops and netting.  We will also try and lay this barrier in the steep ditch on the car-park side of the garden to prevent them burrowing in that way! 

All in all, a huge job but if we can achieve it, the garden will be well protected for years to come.  We cleared a lot of undergrowth already and the weed barrier will make it easier to sweep and maintain in future.

In other news, we have had some good wintry weather recently.

The snow helps to clean the polytunnel as we brush it off.

Ross has been busy washing all our boiler suits...

...along with gloves and aprons ready for our busy period in Spring.

We have even sown some seeds in the warmth of the polytunnel...

...and used it as a base to sit and watch birds for the RSPB big garden bird watch!

Several classes joined in - here the S2 group make bird feeders to hang out for the event...

and the EAGer bunch had an extra Monday-lunchtime meeting to see what birds visited.

Talking of warmth, the RIDAN composter is approximately 64 degrees inside on a -4 day outside!  See the ice on the outer cover.  This is totally due to bacterial action on the food-waste/sawdust mixture.

New Year New Challenges

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  We returned from our Christmas break to experience very high wind.  The tree branches overhanging the poly-tunnels are something of a worry as they could fall and crush the structures!  We are thrilled that Duncan Wight of Trees R Us came to look at them and is happy to come in when they are next in the area to clear them for us!  

THANK YOU so much!  This is something we could not do ourselves and it will make the garden a safer place.  The S4 class hope to see them action so watch this space for more!

Talking of high wind, this is the small shed that B&Q donated to us :(  We need to landscape between the poly-tunnels so we can put it up and treat it.

In the meantime we have now stacked it more securely off the ground so it won't get blown around again.

We've only been back a week, but have been busy!  Here, Ryan and Ross are cutting plants that have died back for the winter.

Weeding too provides material for the compost heap :)

 

Some stems make good hardwood cuttings - wild rose here - so we can get plants for free next year.

They will sprout new roots and start to bud in spring.

The S2 class has almost put the last of the 2000 or so crocus bulbs into pots! 

Many are already showing shoots in pots outside

We are still retrieving seeds from their dried pods to keep for sowing in spring.  These are runner beans...

...and french climbing beans.

Before the holidays we also got two sacks of spring bulbs into the wildlife area.  This will provide colour in spring.

We took delivery of a consignment of trees and hedging plants - some for the Memorial Garden project.  We healed them in and put netting over to stop rabbits nibbling them.  (An ongoing job is laying rabbit wire on the bank in the woodland on the outside of our fence to stop them burrowing under our own fencing).