Gardening Blog: toads and apple trees
This week in the gardens, we found a hibernating toad when weeding. The toad had been sitting underneath a pair of discarded gardening gloves, and was quickly re-homed in the polytunnel. We put him in a secluded spot near the pond, and built him a handy ramp so he could get to the water easily. Earlier in the week resident naturalist Rennie found a toad in a woodpile – read his blog about toads here.
We also pruned the apple trees in the orchard. CAT has over 50 fruit trees, planted some 20 years ago. It’s necessary to prune in summer and in winter – in summer to encourage fruiting, in winter to encourage growth. Pruning in winter can be better for the plant as the sap is low, and there’s subsequently less risk of infection.
