The Plot

December 2, 2018

Down in the Dell I have started to coppice the old Ash bole. I’ve taken out the thinner (< 3”) poles so far, a new saw blade required to cut the larger poles. I am going to use the straighter sections as fence posts eventually. I’ll strip the bark, let them dry out then scorch the part that will be in the ground with a blow-torch (Shou-Sugi-Ban). The brash I have cut to kindling size and it’s stored in the wood shed to dry out.

At some point between December and February I will cut down two Sycamores – these will provide some nice long clean lengths that I can spilt longways to make rails, so along with the Ash posts I can create a fence along our southern boundary. I’ll also use three full diameter sections of Sycamore as the main gate posts and pedestrian access.

Some of the healthier sections of this years growth I have taken Hardwood cuttings from, these are pushed into a coarse loam/sand mix in deep 40cm pots. Left out over the winter they’ll eventually root and can then be either potted up individually or planted out in the Dell/Copse after their second year.

Meanwhile in the cold-frame, the Lettuce, Tatsoi and Kailaan are doing well for late season. Once they are a little bigger I’ll transplant them to the veg plot. And, in the veg plot I have spaced the carrots and spinach, added some compost ready for the salad crops and covered two of the beds in horticultural fleece to protect from heavier rain, and the colder temperatures we’re currently having.

The third raised bed will get a sea-weed mulch once the radish’s have finished.

A potentially exciting development is going to be the building of a very small tree nursery. I have ordered seed from a supplier in Cumbria.

* Silver Birch * Wych Elm * Juniper * Scots Pine * Hazel * English Oak * Crab Apple * Rowen * Small Leaved Lime * Spindle

I’ll begin to stratify these seeds from December where required. Hopefully by early summer 2019 I’ll have seedling trees which I can then either sell on or plant here around the plot after another year or so of growth.

I see these seed as the starter. What I’d like to do is then collect seed locally so that future trees have provenance to the locality. I should be able to easily do this with Birch, Rowen, Hawthorn, Alder, Oak, Dog Rose; less so with both Pine and Juniper.