Sheep & Planting a Cherry Tree

Yet another summers day! I can’t help but think we’re going to pay for this fantastic weather down the line but for now, let’s make the most of it.

Sheep!

The day started with a bit of drama, a flock of sheep appeared outside the door. Some idiot had left the gate open up the track and the flock were on their way down to the road via us.

Val did a remarkable imitation of a sheep dog and chased them back home, tying the gate up after. Please, please remember in the countryside to always shut a gate behind you. You might not see a reason why but it’s amazing how quickly animals discover an escape route. If the flock had gotten to the road the consequences could have been nasty.

And on the subject of the countryside, please keep dogs on a lead. Some might find it funny watching their little terrier chase after a flock of sheep but I assure you the farmers won’t. At this time of year many ewes are pregnant and the stress of being chased can cause them to abort. The farmers will not hesitate to shoot a dog chasing their stock even if it’s only playing.

At one time there were adverts on the telly about following the country code but no longer, so forgive me for having a bit of a rant and nag. The public footpaths are a wonderful resource for all of us giving access to, what I think, is some of the most beautiful countryside in the world. But we need to follow the rules and remember people make their living off that countryside and without them it would not be.

Now my intention was to head off to the vegetable plot today but She Who Must be Obeyed spoke otherwise. We’ve got some trees in pots and they need planting out. So it was ‘before you run off, just plant these’

Planting a Cherry Tree

The first was a morello cherry which was to go on the north east facing wall of the orchard. Not a big job, dig a whole and break up the soil at the base. Add some fertiliser and away we go. Yeah, right.

Having picked the perfect spot on a north facing wall, I started to dig. Well this turned into a bit of archaeology. Sometime in the past, someone had laid a sort of slate patio by the wall. Over the years the grass had grown over, bits of windblown soil collected and so it was covered in a few inches of turf.

Well a happy couple of hours uncovering this patio before getting back to digging the hole. Forked over the bottom of the hole and added some compost along with some bonemeal and then planted the cherry.

I heeled the soil down around the roots and finished off by giving it a good drink to make sure the soil was settled down and in close contact with the roots. Followed by some fish, blood & bone which will really kick it into growth.

By now the sun was setting so it was time to come in. The good news is that the weather is set fair for the week so hopefully I’ll be ahead of the game or at least caught up by Friday.