Last month was Apple Month and Waitrose have launched a project to help educate children about the benefits of seasonal fruit and vegetables, as well as the rewarding process of growing your own produce.
The wet spring and hot summer have brought Britain the best harvest season for years and apples are particularly sweet and colourful as a result. What’s more, they are full of antioxidants which are disease fighting compounds and are incredibly good for you. I wrote about the work Waitrose are doing with schools to produce their own produce.
The second part of my challenge was to plant our very own apple tree that Waitrose sent us so we could grow our own apples next year. With news of a big storm approaching, I held off until it had passed and did some local research as a couple of people expressed concern that it may not bear fruit if no other apple trees were in the area.
It turns out that not only does our primary school have a small Orchard, but there is a large Orchard on the one of the farms which is less than a 15 minute walk from our house. I’ve only lived in this area for 10 years and had no idea!!
After much deliberation, we decided to plant the tree in the front garden as it would be safer from stray footballs and exuberant children. I marked out an area slightly larger than the plant pot and got digging with the aid of a small helper.
The second part of my challenge was to plant our very own apple tree that Waitrose sent us so we could grow our own apples next year. With news of a big storm approaching, I held off until it had passed and did some local research as a couple of people expressed concern that it may not bear fruit if no other apple trees were in the area.
It turns out that not only does our primary school have a small Orchard, but there is a large Orchard on the one of the farms which is less than a 15 minute walk from our house. I’ve only lived in this area for 10 years and had no idea!!
After much deliberation, we decided to plant the tree in the front garden as it would be safer from stray footballs and exuberant children. I marked out an area slightly larger than the plant pot and got digging with the aid of a small helper.
The tree was remarkably easy to plant and Eliza and I pressed the soil around it firmly and then gave it a good drink. I couldn’t find the watering can so we had to make do with some jugs of water – I am sure the tree didn’t mind.
I am trying to decide whether to pop grass seed over the top, or to leave it as a flower bed, but for now I shall leave it to settle and get used to its new home. Fingers crossed we will get some of our own apple crop next year and it appears Eliza is alreadt more green fingered than her mum!!
Our tree arrived last night! Now waiting for it to stop raining long enough to plant it. Monkey is very excited.