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| The Hole - This really doesn't do it justice, it's a lot deeper in real life, like a chasm it is! |
I was very excited about the How Does Your Garden Grow post this week. I had it all planned when the three apple trees I ordered were delivered on Monday. I was going to write about my plans for an orchard in the garden. About ordering and planting apple trees. About spring amongst the apple blossom, summer afternoons in the dappled light of the trees, autumn fruits and apple pie, winter... Well you get the idea, I was planning to wax lyrical.
The problem was that when I went out on Tuesday to dig the holes for the apple trees, I discovered a line of 3 metal posts sunk into the ground approximately where I wanted two of them to go. So, I started digging. By the end of the morning I was still digging so I gave up for a bit and started on another site; clearing the weeds to an area of 120cm diameter, removing perennial weed roots, breaking up the soil, mixing in some compost, digging a hole of approximately 60cm deep and hammering in a wooden support post for the apple tree.
Then I looked at the first hole. And went back to digging. And still couldn't get the metal pole out. So, I measured it; the hole that is, it is now over 110cm deep and no sign of the bottom.
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| Mrs Fox's Orchard - at least it will be one day, I hope. |
See that pile of earth in the foreground of the picture above that's the second hole. The pile of soil just behind is the hole with the pole. For the rest of the day I moved a bonfire pile from just by the hole with the pole (you see it there, behind the hole with the pole now). And spread the ash around, I will cover it with top soil and seed with grass eventually. When I get that metal pole out of the ground.
Went and looked at that hole with the metal pole in it again yesterday. Gave the pole a kick, it didn't move much.
And so I went and found a link to my favourite song about a hole and found this, with some great animation by someone called niblickthe3rd which at least stops me from crying and makes me laugh instead.
If you would like to see pictures of some beautiful gardens rather than pictures of holes in the ground, I suggest you pop on over to mammasaurus' blog , see link below:
I really want to know what that pole is doing there, beside getting in the way of your apple trees.
ReplyDeleteHow awfully frustrating for you
Oh I know, me too! I think maybe part of an old fence (the garden was probably once agricultural land) they are in a good straight line the 3 of them.
DeleteCrikey, that would have driven me bonkers! Good on you for persevering. The lego video you found is brilliant :) If you ever figure out what the bloomin poles were for, let us know...
ReplyDeleteOh dear! That has made me chuckle though ;-) Hope you win in the end, the apples will be worth it!
ReplyDeleteI think the apples will be worth it too, as long as the trees survive long enough for me to get them in the holes.
DeleteArgh! How ruddy frustrating! That's one of those things that starts out an annoyance and ends up a full blown war of wills where the pole needs to come out at any cost! I must admit I got in that zone when removing bamboo once - I ended up a bit like Rambo on a mission, all headbanded up and sweaty, grunting and hacking with a knife... Now there's a Friday morning thought...
ReplyDeleteI want to get some fruit trees planted too but I need to look into it more. 5 years ago we planted two apple trees, and I literally did the 'dig a hole and plant the tree' without any more prep than that - only one made it, so next time I'm determined to find out the 'right' way to do it!
I look forward to learning from you:)
Thanks for joining in again and have a fruitful pole-annihilating weekend x
How intriguing!! Love the idea of having an orchard though, so I hope your new trees grow strong and tall for you!
ReplyDeleteI could see myself having a battle with those poles too! Someday very soon you'll have a lovely orchard and hopefully no metal poles still hiding in the ground.
ReplyDeleteHow annoying. Still. it's nice to see the hard work and obstacles that come in the way of gardening. Once your orchard is blooming, you will be able to look back and appreciate the hard work and hurdles that you had to overcome. Good luck! Ps: The trailer looks exciting!
ReplyDelete