November Again

I dislike November, wet, foggy and quickly shortening daylight all  adds up to a depressing month and to make matters worse I was born in November.  Why?  But apart from that my young orchard has shut down for the winter.  Or should I say most of my orchard has shut down, No one seems to have told my little braeburn apple what it's supposed to do at this time of year.  Its still putting out new leaves.

Braeburn apple with new growth, what is it thinking its the 22nd of November.  Silly tree.

Another picture of the tree full of green leaves.

The little Bramley below isn't much better.

I have made my final orders that will fill in the gaps in the orchard and when I get the new trees planted I will start to add to the blog on a more regular basis.  I am cutting back the overgrown hedge and cleaning the ditch that runs down the side of my orchard at the moment.  There is quite a bit of blackthorn in the hedge, I find this very invasive and am going to remove it.  most of the rest of the hedge is past rejuvenation and I have decided to take it all out except for the hazels at the top but even these will get cut back and left to regrow, coppice style.  I will then replant the hedge a little further off the ditch this should make both ditch cleaning and hedge cutting easier.  I hope.  If its clear enough I will add some pictures and comments about the hedge and ditch.  Interesting or what?  I know how to have a good time, just spend Sunday in a muddy ditch getting scratched by an old hedge, what fun.