Keeping Brambles in check at Puttenham and Swan Barn

​COPSE continues our monthly weeding, mulching and watering at the Hog’s-Back Orchard, on behalf of Puttenham PC. Maintenance has been made much easier on this Chalk Downland orchard with a path mown between the trees. During tree establishment it is important to supress unwanted plants under young trees, which we do by hand-pulling, digging and mulching. Near to this orchard, kidney vetch scrapes have established (food plant for the small blue butterfly). Elsewhere at Swan Barn we set-free and mulched a Marriage Maker apple (planted 2023), smothered in brambles! Maintaining a mown, bramble-free space around these trees helps with weeding.