Page 24 - Simply Veg Issue 3 2019

Apple Minitree ‘Goldlane’
Apples Cordon
stop the wanton felling of the rain and other tropical forests). Although at first this may seem a futile gesture, if everyone in the U.K planted a tree that would be an extra 66 million and that would make a difference! I know not everyone will but if many do it will still make a difference. Organisations like
the Woodland Trust are planting up new woodlands, and the Forestry Commission new forests but we can plant up our gardens or even the verges outside our house if we have one (get the Councils permission first).
Both Gerry Edwards and I have mentioned the planting of fruit trees which would give you a win – win situation as the trees will take in and hold carbon and supply you with fruit. These days there are dwarf rootstocks for most types of fruits so even if you have
a small garden there will be space for a fruit tree of some kind. Also, most gardens have a wall, fence or building up which a tree could be trained and would take up very little space. Espalier, fans, cordons and stepovers barely take up 40 to 60cm from what they are trained up. Even standard, pyramid and trained trees on a dwarfing rootstock are suitable for small gardens. Apples grafted
on to M27 grow no more than 2m tall if that. Even on M9 or MM106 they will only reach 3m on a good soil, the cherries on pixey or Geseila are no more than 3m. So give fruit growing a go and reduce your food miles
as well. As well as producing fruit the trees will produce flowers which look attractive in the spring and provide food for pollinating insects like bees. Order your trees for autumn/winter planting.
Green Manure
Regular readers (I think I have a couple!) will know this is another of my rants but it is well worth considering. I mentioned above that the soil is a major holder of carbon, but
Mustard ‘Caliente’
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