June and everything is growing

This time last year we were experiencing drought conditions and the beck was at a standstill. I delayed planting for a year to try and get on top of the bracken. I’m not completely convinced that that worked but it means the trees went in the ground this January and there has been rain most days since then. Even on sunny days we have had a splash of rain overnight and everything has been growing well including the saplings.

May 2024 and this dipper is loving the flowing water

I am beginning to learn the 13 new species of trees planted. I am also learning the differences between species as to how quickly they grow and when they start. The first away were the Spindle. These appeared above the tree guards rapidly and are easy to spot as they are planted in narrow bands along the butterfly rides and a few paths to give a bush sized plant before the big trees start.

  

Spindle April ‘24

Spindle June ’24 all above the tree guards and now in the sunshine 

as the bracken has been scythed here

Cherry, birch and below Hornbeam getting away nicely

   

The willow are thriving and the one on the right is the tallest tree I have from the newly planted ones. Here is the difference between April and June ’24.

The aspen are doing nicely too. Some were suckers and other were propagated from seed with 100 (out of 525) being donated by BOOM (Back on our Map). These were mixed together and planted in two areas and all seam to be doing well. They outgrew the bracken for quite a while and I have just cleared this area that was becoming overwhelmed last week.

The Rowan are coming up nicely. Where they are surrounded by bracken I notice that their leaves are being eaten by some insect. I think all the areas where they are planted are now cleared so they should recover. I raised some saplings from seeds collected in October 2022. I managed to plant 20 and know where some of these are. Below is a a series of photos showing the process. As you can probably tell I am very proud of this achievement! (Oh and I have new found respect for nurseries growing trees from seeds to order come drought, flood, ice and all the surprises that nature has to throw at them)

Extracting the seeds is a fiddly business - a bit like taking a seed out of a tomato. A friend helped me and we extracted over 100 seeds which were then planted in a mix of compost and sand and theywere left outside for the winter

As the seeds germinated I transplanted them into small containers and then potted them on. I managed to create 30 plants and from these 20 were planted in the wood. The drought in June and fierce sun proved difficult.

Progress at May and September ‘23

June 2024 - that’s waist height now

I still enjoy the Scots Pines the best. When they arrived they smelled so lovely and were planted in two stands with Downy Birch. Finding them to place the mats was a challenge and also fun. They blended into the grass and it took a few passes to get them all and I was still finding them when the bracken came up. They are so tiny thank goodness for the mats as without those I would not be able to find them. They do seam to be thriving:-

 

These tiny Scotts Pines were planted in rough ground in January ’24 with no tree guard or cane which is how they thrive best.

Mulch mats have been laid and have really protected them from being shaded out by bracken and grass

I have found most of them now and cleared the bracken and they looking like 

they are taking well growing up fast 

The scything team turned up at the point that I was less than half way round and gave me the help over that slightly overwhelmed feeling of ‘this will never get done’. It was wonderful to see this old art being deployed on my land. 

They are powered by tea and cake!

Andy sharpening his blade

Steve gave me another couple of hours on a hot, humid, fly infested day with horseflies biting through clothes - I am enjoying the cooler wetter weather we are having at the end of the month!

I did have a go with a scythe but found that I am quicker with my machine as I don’t have the flowing movement that is needed and don’t think this is the moment to learn. Courses were fully booked by the time I tried to get on one. Maybe that’s for next year. 

My latest attempt to deter ticks!

I need to break from using the hedge trimmer every 20minutes to clean and oil the machine, let it cool down and for me to rest. I can do 7 sessions (2hrs 20mins) on the machine over about 4hours. If I do more than that I really pay the price the next day so it’s better to do a moderate amount and often.  To enjoy the breaks I have started experimenting with digging a pond (I use different muscles!). My plan has been to establish a large pond in a couple of years time. I am testing out the idea in a boggy area and two test digs are holding water nicely. I have been advised that there are grants for creating ponds and I shall investigate that as I know I won’t be able to dig out a large body of water by hand! 

Test dig 1 - very shallow; filling holding water easily

  

Test dig 2 about a meter away and very different soil - less rocky and more muddy so I am going deeper.

What I am doing just now are tiny and I am hoping that if we do get a dry spell it will give standing water for wildlife in addition to the pools formed in the beck by leaking dams.

Over the last 4 weeks the wood has moved from spring to summer and here are some photos of the changing colours and shapes that I have been appreciating.

Meadow Smock                      Marsh Bedstraw

Hawthorn (May) Blossom and Rowan Blossom

Buttercup and foxglove

Violets still coming out in June and Honeyscuckle which smells delightful

Dog rose and Elderflower which to me says it is now Summer

Water Forget-Me-Not

Orchid (I cannot tell from the book so won’t try to name it)

I have been enjoying the grasses this year (another area I know little to nothing about!). There are more grasses in areas where the bracken is not so rampant so that’s another advantage to clearing some of it!

I am on schedule to finish the bracken bashing by mid July and should be able to relax for about a month before the second bash is required. That is usually a lot easier so more time to enjoy the wood and learn more of the trees as they emerge.