I had the perfect day for doing the apple tree at last. Cloud cover, not too wet underfoot – though it was pretty squidgy by the tree. There are some dips and holes that are going to need to be remedied in better conditions.

I used my loppers for the first time. They take a little wrangling as you have to get the cut in the back of the blades, but they did the job beautifully. I took off some pretty big branches, but didn’t need to use the branch saw, which was a great bonus. Only one large branch fell into the abandoned part of the back plot.

Tomorrow the sun will be out, and I’ll do the pear tree and take some branches off the elder to stop it being a nuisance. I need to look at the hawthorns too.