Apples…one of the easiest fruits to grow.
These Apple Trees were planted seven years ago and have fruited every year.
They has never been sprayed.
There have never been any chemicals sprayed on or around them.
These trees are the perfect plants in the perfect place…a permaculture success.
The fruit is used as a base for a whole range of jellies, chutneys and jams.
Some of it is stored in the freezer.
Much is stored in a cool, dark, dry area where it can be accessed for use.
Apples are made into Toffee Apples at Samhain and for floating in barrels for dunking games.
Apple slices are dried as rings…simply hooped onto lengths of homegrown Bamboo and hung in the oven of the wood stove.
I use some of the Apples at the moment in home made Apple yoghurt, yummy stuff!
Of course, where would civilisation be without the seasonal Apple Pie?
I mulch around these trees every couple of years with sheeps wool left over from my spinning…there are parts of the fleece which are not used in the spinning process.
This is filled with goodness which is washed, through rainfall, into the soil.
During the summer as I mow the paths, I heap the cuttings around the base of each apple tree to mulch out weeds and feed the roots.
Grass is, after all, great fertilizer.
At the end of each growing season, I cut by all new growth by two-thirds.
All branches that grow towards the middle of the tree are cut out.
Most important of all…I plant lots of bee attracting plants and bushes around the orchards, especially the early Spring flowering bush, Ribes.
The Bees must be looked after!
Bealtaine Cottage is also on YouTube…with over 85 videos about Permaculture, planting, growing and living.
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I am going to book mark this post for future reference; i need to plant fruit trees..
Thank you for the detailed post about apple trees. Mine are in there third year with no yield and have never been sprayed. I will begin mulching like mad.
And don’t forget the pruning!
Colx
Thank you for the lovely photos and encouragement to grow fruit! We’re been planting fruit trees since we moved here, and plan to put in a few more each winter. I’ve been given a pile of fleece and have started using it as mulch – so it’s really good to know you’ve been doing this and that it works well!
When I grow up I want to be just like you! I took cuttings from a friends apple a few weeks ago and so far they seem to be doing well. I have another friend with an awesome pear tree that I hope to get cuttings from real soon. Are your trees cuttings, seedlings or store bought specimens? What varieties are they?
All the fruit trees were gifts from well wishers and from many different sources…labels etc long since gone! All have produced well. The Damson is in flower today and many apples are ready to burst bud! What I did do upon planting each fruit tree was to cut back quite hard, so the roots could get the most energy. Also, not one of the 900 trees planted here are staked…just a support stake for heavily laden fruit branches. They grow stronger that way!