In the orchards general maintenance is a priority while the weather is good. Checking and replacing stakes, adjusting tree ties and cutting grass happen on a daily basis. Budding is our main task for August. This is a form of grafting in which a single bud is used as the scion rather than a section of stem. Once budded, these trees are cared for in our nurseries for up to two years before we make them available for sale. These are very rare Irish heritage apple trees and we need the public to help us keep these amazing heritage varieties alive by growing them in gardens all across the country.
Out in the gardens August is all about seed harvesting and our Seed Bank is already filling up with hundreds of varieties. Peas, mangetout, rocket, cabbage, lettuce, carrots, parsnips and chard are all now coming to fruition for harvest. Our seed team will be busy over the coming months to thresh, dry, pack and store the hundreds of varieties that will then make available to the public in our 2022 seed catalogue.
