Pears in bud

The pear trees are the first in the orchard to show their blossom.  As the weather warms up we can see the buds just starting to burst, to be followed by the white blossom of the pear tree.  Here at West Bradley we grow four different kinds of pear - Conference, Comice, Concorde and Beth.  We expect warm sunshine over the next few days and in no time at all the whole orchard will start to twinkle with little starbursts of blossom.

Snowdrops and snowstorms

The snowdrops along the banks of the stream are bravely nodding their heads, a signal that spring is round the corner.

In the last week we've had all sorts of weather thrown at us - snow, sleet, rain and brilliant sunshine.  We're just hoping that the good weather lasts and we have fewer downpours, because we have several thousand trees to plant.

The trees will go in as maidens, (just a big twig really) or feather maidens (a big twig with some feathery branchlets) and what is most important is that the soil conditions are right.  If the ground is too wet the sides of the hole get smeared as it is dug, then the soil sets like concrete around the hole and the little tree's roots can't get through it.

Far better to wait until the soil conditions are right for planting, which may be any time in March, or even into April if the weather gets bad.