Happy New Year to one and all! We trust that you had a thoroughly enjoyable Christmas season, and have started the new year (new decade!) in a spirit of enthusiasm and hope.
There’s lots to look forward to this year. We’re looking forward to some favourable growing weather over autumn and winter for one, but I’m also tipping that 2010 will be the year that the whole idea of “home growing” really starts to resonate. I’ll be posting some updates over the next couple of days that tap into this theme, so keep an eye out.
For the clan here at Thistlebrook, the last month or so has been a whirlwind of family gatherings, busy days spent gardening, and thanks to a couple of rainy weeks, more than a few quiet moments spend inside reading books. After our very dry spring, the rain was welcomed with open arms. Since December 20, 170mm has fallen into the gauge, a very respectable total and enough to really stimulate plants into strong growth plus top up all our rainwater tanks. The net result is that the garden is looking the best it ever has.
What does the New Year hold for Thistlebrook? Bare root fruit trees for sure. Our second catalogue of varieties ideal for home growers will be out in early March, and delivery will again commence in early July. We’ve grafted an expanded range of heritage apples this year, which we’re excited to offer, in addition to a broader range of nut trees, stonefruit, and pome fruit. All being well, we’ll have a few rarer trees for sale as well, including medlars and weeping apples.
Plans are also afoot to substantially increase our range of potted food producing plants. These, along with a small range of heirloom vegie seedlings, will be offered for sale by appointment at the nursery, by local delivery, and hopefully at local markets.
One piece of disappointing news: it looks like the workshops are off, at least in the proposed format. To date we’ve had a total lack of interest from the punters, which suggests that something is amiss (possibly our timing), so after much consideration we’re decided that the best option is to look at a less regular workshop schedule, perhaps seasonally. Still thinking it through, and details will be posted in due course.
This is by no means the end of the world. Kylie and I always planned for Thistlebrook to be a dynamic, fluid, responsive enterprise that can swiftly alter course and change to meet demand. We’ve got no plans to become giant corporate schmucks. Instead, we’re seeking to run our business the in much the same way we try to run our lives – with humility, passion, honesty, and joy. We’d love for you to join us in whatever capacity you can, be it purchasing a couple of fruit trees for backyard, or simply by signing up for our free regular updates (you’ll find a couple of subscription options in the right hand column of this website).
Thanks again for your support and let’s all raise a glass to a big year of home growing in 2010!
cheers,
Justin
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
we have a small greengage tree that has just been ringbarked by rabbits is there anything we can do to save it?
It all depends on how bad the damage is, and how high (or low) of the trunk the damage has occurred. Small, superficial areas of rabbit or hare damage will generally recover fine, but deeper gouges can seriously weaken the structure a developing tree. If the damage is extensive, you may need to remove the tree and start again. If the damage is above the graft, you could try cutting the trunk off just above a healthy bud but below the damaged section. It should regrow for you.
As a preventative measure against hare damage, I generally put a 600mm tall wire cage around the trunk of all newly planted trees. Even then, the little blighters sometimes chew off the branches, especially during periods of dry weather. Fencing them out altogether is probably the most fool proof strategy.
Hope that helps, and best wishes,
Justin