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BASIC TRADITIONAL ORCHARD MANAGEMENT PLAN

ON BEHALF OF

KENT ORCHARDS FOR EVERYONE PROJECT

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Contents

Page 1. Introduction 4 2. Approach to Management 5 3. Work Plan 6 3.1 The Cherry Year 6 3.2 The Work Plan 8 3.2.1 Planting, Surveying and Replacing Dead or

Damaged Trees 8 3.2.2 Tree Management 10 3.2.3 Grass Sward 11 3.2.4 Nutrition of Trees 11 3.2.5 Fruit Harvesting 12 3.2.6 Pest and Disease Management 12 3.2.7 Management Records 12 4. Orchard Ecology 13 4.1 Baseline Survey 13 4.2 Specialist Surveys 13 5. Access to the Orchard 14 6. Further Help 15

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Figures Page

1. Orchard Fencing 4 2. Orchard in Bloom 4 3. Cherry Blossom 6 4. Fruit on the bough 6 5. Planting Trees 9 6. Protecting Trees from Sheep 10 7. Grazing during the Winter Months 11 8. Harvested Fruit and Menu 12 9. Surveying Work 13 10. Interpretation in New House Orchard 15 Diagrams 1. Traditional Orchard : Schematic Plan 5 Tables 1. Community Orchard : Annual Orchard Tasks 7 2. Tree Health Scoring System 8 3. Variety Choice 9 4. Community Events and Work Parties 14

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1. Introduction: This traditional orchard is a typical traditional cherry/apple/pear/plum plantation with a planting scheme commonly used in the 1940s and 1950s. Its location is well placed being adjacent to public roads and on the edge of the village of x. There is easy access to the nearby village hall. The trees are estimated to have been planted in this era at a spacing of 20ft apart with the aim of thinning trees in two stages to give a final spacing of 40ft square. Trees appear to have been “staddle worked” onto a x rootstock.

Fig.1: A Traditional Orchard Fig. 2: A Traditional Orchard in Bloom The soil in the orchard is a typical x soil and very suitable for fruit production. The whole of the East Kent sweet cherry production area was founded on these paleo-argillic brick earth soil deep soils. The surviving trees are still viable in many cases although there may be several dead trees that must be removed and replaced. There are however significant gaps where dead trees have been removed in the past. The orchard is likely to contain at least 12 varieties if stone fruit and two if top fruit. These will be arranged to give optimum pollination rather than to provide ease of harvesting. The varieties will give a range of harvest seasons and will probably start with the early variety Early Rivers for cherries, Worcester and Bramley if apples, Williams Bon Chretien and Greengages or Opal if plum. The orchard may be grassed down and have been grazed with sheep. The boundary fences maybe in need of repair or renewal. The boundary of key importance initially is to the south of the orchard. Part of the orchard will have a number of bee hives. Since the orchard is designated as a community orchard, the initial interest of the local village was been evident to those members of the community who were aware of its existence.

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2. Approach to Management: Much of the removal of dead trees must be carried out regularly over the next few years leaving 25% dead wood for biodiversity. This may have left the orchard with a considerable number of tree gaps. The main land use maybe sheep grazing. There is scope for planting within the gaps which have been left from clearing and renewing the original planting plan. The boundary fences need to be assessed. The northern boundary would provide an opportunity to establish a mixed fruit hedge that would improve the shelter to the orchard and create interest for the community whilst increasing the range of habitats available if required. Diag.1: X Orchard: Schematic Plan (Not to Scale)

The traditional orchard should continue to be grazed by sheep as the most appropriate form of grass management for traditional orchards. Dead trees should be removed gradually over the next 3 to 4 years to provide a phased renewal of the plantation. The remaining trees should be pruned to remove dead branches. The wood removed as dead trees or prunings should be used to:

1. create insect banks/habitat piles, with a target of four within the orchard 2. provide the opportunity to sell wood to local craftsmen 3. provide wood for domestic fuel

N

Area with fewer trees surviving

Entrance Gate

Road

Village

Road

B B

Bee Hives

Community Area

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Options two and three could provide additional income streams to fund work undertaken and make the orchard more sustainable. There should be an area of bee hives in view of the threats currently posed to bee populations and for pollination of the orchard. One main area should be identified for community use within the orchard. The boundaries need to offer wind protection and may benefit from some planting of new plants.

3. Work Plan: 3.1 The Fruit Year

Fig. 3: Cherry Blossom Cherries, apples, pears and plums are usually fully dormant in December and January. Depending upon weather conditions trees begin to move out of dormancy in February with bud burst occurring in mid to late March and the white buds of new flowers emerging in late March and early April. Flowering will take place from mid-April with later varieties extending into late May in some seasons. The exact time of flowering is very dependent on both weather conditions and variety, with some varieties being very early in flowering, others much later. Usually early flowering varieties also have fruit that matures early although this is not always the case. Different varieties, flowering at the same time, are

required to ensure cross pollination since some varieties of fruit are self-fertile. From May to June the fruit develops and increases in size until it reaches maturity and can be harvested. Fig. 4: Fruit on the Bough Fruit can be picked from mid-June to early August depending on variety. Each variety can be picked over a 7 to 10 day period with a sequence of varieties planted to ensure that fruit can be picked over the whole 5 to 7 week season. In traditional orchards it is rare to have less than 5 varieties within one orchard so that cross pollination requirements are met and a sequence of picking can provide a long season. Fruit trees begin to lose leaf towards the end of October and leaf fall continues through November. With the final leaf fall trees are again dormant for the winter period.

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Table 1: Community Orchard: Annual Orchard Tasks

Month Tree Growth Stage Task

January Dormant Pruning top fruit.

Order any replacement trees needed

for autumn planting

February Semi-Dormant Grafting replacement trees or into

existing trees for top fruit

March Bud burst Check tree stakes and guards renew

and reposition as required.

Collect fallen branches

April Flowering Pruning can start immediately after

flowering for stone fruit

Remove any sheep from orchard

May Fruit swelling

Shoot development

Pruning for stone fruit completed by

end of month

Start annual orchard survey

June Shoot growth

Fruit maturity

Mow grass before harvesting

First picking

July Fruit maturity Fruit harvesting

Budding and grafting of new trees for

stone fruit and top fruit

August Shoot growth stops Prune out any branches damaged

during picking.

Budding and grafting of new trees for

stone fruit and top fruit

September Leaf senescence Last time for budding and grafting of

new trees for stone fruit

Sheep can be reintroduced after picking

completed

October First leaf fall Begin to clear dead wood leave 25%

behind for invertebrates

November Leaf Fall Pruning can begin for top fruit. Planting

new trees if available otherwise delay

until March

December Dormant Pruning can continue on top fruit

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3.2 The Work Plan: 3.2.1 Planting, Surveying and Replacing Dead or Damaged Trees In late May or early June the orchard should be surveyed and the number of dead and partly dead trees recorded. The health of trees can be recorded using the following simple score system: Table 2: Tree Health Scoring System

Score Description

0 Tree completely dead no signs of life

1 Tree life present but more than half the tree with dead major branches

2 Between 50 and 75% of tree growing but with significant dead shoots

and branches present

3 More than 80% of tree healthy with new growth being produced, few or

no dead branches visible

Each season a number of the completely dead trees within the orchards should be removed. An objective would be to replace one fifth of completely dead trees from the first survey (score 0) each year. Inevitably further trees or significant parts of trees will die over this five year period and would contribute to the desired level of dead wood within the orchard. Tree removal can be achieved mechanically by using tractor power to winch out the tree or by chain saw cutting the tree down in several stages. It is essential that at least some of the dead tree material is retained to provide habitats, especially for invertebrates. The target is for up to 25% of dead wood in the orchard but this can take the form of both dead trees and dead branches within trees that are retained. Dead trees provide habitat for wildlife and would be a typical feature of traditional orchards. Within two years of the removal of a dead tree a replacement new tree should be planted to ensure the continuing viability of the orchard. It is essential to arrange for new trees at least one year in advance of being needed. Trees can be ordered from professional nurseries or produced by the community orchard group by grafting. If the group will be grafting then the rootstock needs to be ordered well in advance – at least 6 months – as relatively small numbers of the vigorous rootstocks needed for a traditional orchard are produced each season. All new trees planted should be propagated on a vigorous rootstock. The most commonly available at the present time is Prunus avium F12/1, a Mazzard stock. The varieties chosen to be worked on these stocks should reflect the choice available in the 1940s and are listed in table 3.

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Table 3: Variety Choice. (listed in ripening season groups)

Early Season Mid Season Late Season

It is essential to plan ahead for new tree planting and to decide whether trees will be propagated locally by grafting or ordered from a specialist nursery. Orders for either the rootstocks or trees should be placed 6 months to one year before they are needed as there are limited numbers produced by nurseries. The objective should be to plant each season for five years, one fifth of the number of trees required to fill gaps and replace dead trees that have been removed. This is important in achieving a balance of tree age within the orchard and to provide for its longer term future. Fig 3. Planting Trees

New trees should be planted each February or March to replace those lost and bring and maintain a balance of tree ages into the orchard. Prepare a planting hole sufficiently large to accommodate the root system of the tree to be planted without the roots being curled around the hole. The base of the hole should be lightly forked to

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loosen any compaction. Incorporate compost in the bottom of the hole and also spread compost onto the back fill. Place the tree into the hole and refill, shaking the tree gently as you do so to ensure soil is in contact with the roots. Firm the soil in the planting position. Approximately ten litres of compost per tree is required. This can be composted green waste or a proprietary tree planting or soil conditioning compost. Immediately after planting a stake should be driven into the ground on the leeward side of the tree, to which the tree is tied with a recommended tree tie that will not damage the trunk. A wire or plastic guard to protect against rabbit predation should also be secured immediately after planting. Trees are incompatible with animals such as sheep for at least ten years unless good protection is provided. Livestock will either try to rub against the tree and push it over or eat the leaves and shoots. To protect against sheep damage erect two chestnut stakes either side of the tree about 300mm from the trunk. Staple to each stake a circle of weld mesh which stands about 1200mm high, this should be of sufficient strength to deter sheep from damaging the trees. A one metre circle around the tree should be mulched with either straw or composted green waste, to help retain moisture and reduce weed competition. Farmyard manure can also be used provided that it is well rotted. Fig. 4: Protecting Trees from Sheep

3.2.2 Tree Management The existing trees within the orchard that have less than one third of dead branches within the tree should be pruned to remove dead branches. The orchard should be divided into five equal areas with the aim of pruning one area in each of the next five years. This will ensure that the task of pruning is more easily achievable. The number of cuts should be restricted to three per year per tree so as to ensure trees do not receive too great a stimulus to produce excessive vegetative growth. It is best to use a pruning saw for this type of work. More detailed pruning of tree, with secateurs cutting out smaller shoots is not appropriate in this situation. Pruning should NOT be carried out during the dormant season but just after flowering. This will enable wounds to heal and callus over rapidly and naturally, thus reducing risk of infection from the two principle diseases of sweet cherry, silver leaf and bacterial canker. These diseases get into a tree most easily through open wounds, therefore pruning when the tree is in growth offers the best chance for wounds to heal rapidly rather than remaining open. After pruning is completed each season it will be necessary

to pulverise smaller prunings left after larger branches have been collected. This will assist

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is subsequent mowing operations, sheep grazing and reduce trip hazards at community events. 3.2.3 Grass Sward

Fig. 7: Grazing during the Winter Months The most appropriate management for the grass within the orchard is grazing by sheep. It would be necessary for sheep to be removed from the orchard just after flowering to enable the flora to express itself and for ease of access for picking at a later date. In addition to grazing the grass should be mown later on in the season, around late July to facilitate access for fruit harvesting or for community events depending upon the success of grazing by sheep. Closer mowing of “rides” through the orchard and of the community areas will be required to make community access safer. Significant areas of nettle and thistle have colonised the grass and whilst some areas are helpful in conservation of insects larger areas maybe in danger of becoming too large affecting grazing and access. Spot treatment of some nettle and thistle patches with an approved herbicide will be required initially to prevent the spread of these areas within the orchard. It would be best to treat the regrowth following mowing. Treatment may be required for two seasons to achieve control. 3.2.4 Nutrition of Trees Although the soils in this orchard are naturally highly fertile it is likely that after a prolonged period of orchard growth some nutrients may be limited and availability to the trees low. The establishment of a regular grazing regime will help to introduce fertility to the soil. Soil and leaf tissue samples should be collected for laboratory analysis in 2010. The results of this analysis should be used to devise any manuring programme that may be required. Thereafter analysis would only be required every 5 to 7 years.

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3.2.5 Fruit Harvesting Fig. 8: Harvested Fruit and Menu

Serious consideration should be given to whether fruit can be harvested and utilised by fresh sales or by the local community. Generally, regular harvesting of fruit encourages balanced growth within the tree. Failure to remove fruit at harvest can lead to diseases building up, but more importantly, can result in tree growth losing vigour. Regular

harvesting would encourage tree growth. There are a number of options to utilise the fruit from the orchard. Weekend direct sales to the public over 3 or 4 weekends can be successful. Whilst pick your own sales can be attractive they do pose health and safety issues that would need discussed and addressed. Fruit can be harvested and sold to local retailers, processors or merchants. Fruit can be used to stimulate home preservation in various forms possibly with a local competition. The potential of integrating the produce from this orchard with others in the Kent Downs area for co-operative marketing should be investigated. 3.2.6 Pest and Disease Management With the present condition of the orchard and its entry into the Environmental Stewardship Scheme the use of a programme of organic crop protection would not be appropriate. Any fungicides approved for organic growing such as copper would present difficulties for sheep grazing the orchard grass. Insect pests, whilst reducing tree growth and damaging fruits in some cases, rarely threaten the life of the tree and therefore control measures would not be cost effective to use in this situation.

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3.2.7 Management Records A diary of management of the orchard including key dates, such as dates of introduction and withdrawal of sheep together with other cultural operations and community events should be kept. This will create a database to inform future decisions.

4. Orchard Ecology: This orchard presents considerable scope to survey and observe the natural ecology of an orchard. Work on birds, fungi, lichen and insect life looking at the tree, grass and soil as habitats would be valuable and interesting. Every encouragement should be given to retaining the bee hives within the orchard both for pollination purposes but also to assist in rebuilding populations of bee. An increase in hive numbers would be helpful in this respect. Consideration should also be given to recreating refuges for invertebrates and other ways of encouraging wildlife in the orchard. This may include under sowing hedges and boundaries with appropriate plant species. The UK Biodiversity Action Plan now has traditional orchards listed as Priority Habitats. The orchard provides an ideal location to undertake of number of potential surveys that would record the biodiversity of the orchard and how it changes over time. 4.1. Baseline Survey A basic biodiversity survey to provide a baseline against which the progress in future years could be compared should be instigated by developing a community naturalist history group. 4.2. Specialist Surveys Other potential surveys include; lichen, insects, butterfly and moth surveys. Surveys of sample areas of sward would also be useful measures of biodiversity. The aim over the next five years should be to establish a base survey of the orchard and annual updates together with a means of encouraging interested individuals or groups Fig. 9: Surveying Work

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including the local school – to undertake other surveys of a more ad hoc nature. These surveys could be linked with various walks and events such as a bat walk, moth trapping, butterfly survey etc.

5. Access to the Orchard: A system of co-ordination between the community and the Parish Council must be established to facilitate access to the orchard and the effective use of this valuable biodiversity asset. The aim over the next 10 years should be to establish an effective community action group, hold 2 to 3 work parties each season to help maintain the orchard and its community links and hold at least 2 community social events. Table 4: Community Events and Work Parties Community Work Parties

Season Event

Spring Work Orchard tidy; check stakes; ties and guards; planting

July - September Cherry and plum picking, pruning, grafting and budding

September/October Apple and Pear picking

Winter Pruning of top fruit and clearing dead wood

Possible Community Events

Season Event

January Wassailing

April Blossom Festival

July Cherry Ripe: Celebration of cherry day including music and

treats

Any time in summer Bat Walk

Dawn Chorus Walk

September / October Autumn fruit festival

October Fungi Walk

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Fig. 10: Interpretation in a traditional cherry orchard Interpretation of the importance of cherry orchards for biodiversity and their part in the rural history of the area should be included and would be particularly valuable in this location with its proximity to a bridleway that is reasonably well used by local people and others. This should focus on the three aspects of cherry orchards; their social history, the growing cycle and the biodiversity they contain. The orchard is a valuable resource for education and links must be developed with the local school to encourage their use of the site. The orchard can contribute to various aspects of the curriculum such as science, food and health and social history.

6. Further Help: For further resources check out the advice section on the website www.kentorchards.org.uk Guidance notes on planning an orchard, restoration methods and grafting, pruning and budding techniques are also available from the Mid Kent Downs Countryside Partnership as part of the Mid Kent Downs Orchards Project. http://www.midkentdowns.org.uk/publications.php Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty have produced a Land Managers Pack which will guide you through the management of orchards, this is available through their website: http://www.kentdowns.org.uk/guidance-management-and-advice/land-managers-pack