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We have made our plans for 2013 and most have either come to fruition or will need to be carried forward to 2014.


Meadow

With the success of the meadow sown in 2011/12 there will need to be more maintenance in 2013.  We are expecting fewer annuals and hoping that we start to see some perennial wild flowers appearing.  If that is the case the mowing of the meadow will be able to start earlier, in June or July.  However the cold spring has delayed growth so a first mowing in late July or early August seems most likely.

The section of meadow sown in September 2012 will have a crop of annuals so will be cut once those have finished flowering.

We plan to prepare for the final section of meadow, at the extreme east end of the site with a view to sowing in March or September 2014 to ensure a third summer of cornfield annuals.

Hedges

The hedges will need to be kept weed free again and replacement planting was completed by the end of March.  Given the rate of growth on 2012 it is unlikely that the hedge will need to be trimmed in 2013, but now that roots have established it may grow more quickly.  

In the autumn all brambles and other competing undergrowth will be removed from the hedge.  A few of this year's replacement saplings have been potted up so they can be used to replace any failed saplings in the autumn.

Fences

The timber and wire fence around the east end of the conservation meadow will need more work this summer to bring it back to a good state of repair.

Logpile

We can continue to add to the logpile at wood becomes available.


We have finished the hedgerow planting for this winter. 

  • The two gaps on the car park (north) side have been cleared of brambles and planted.
  • Selective replacement of failed plants has been undertaken, particularly at the far east end and around the north-west corner.
  • Reinforcement planting along the tow path boundary has been undertaken together with removal of undergrowth

The meadow planted last September was just starting to grow in March with some of the cornfield annuals being amongst the first to germinate.  In June we have seen a good display of flowers in both the established meadow and annuals in the recently sown section.

The hedging has performed well this year with the planting from 2012 growing strongly and those planted in 2013 taking well.

As we have been reinforcing the hedges any larger woody trimmings have been added to the logpile.  This has included one or two rotting stumps which help to create a diversity of fresh and older wood in the logpile.