So with winter nearing it's end I still had one more tree job to complete this year - to take down a damson tree and replace it with a pear.
I planted this tree ten years ago and it has reverted back to it's rootstock and never produced any fruit. So I decided enough was enough and it was time to take it out. I had purchased a Black Worcester Pear to go in it's place, on a big rootstock, so I needed to get a move on before it started to grow where I had healed it in.
I wanted the pear to go in pretty much where the damson had been though, and I knew if I just cut it down the damson would sucker like mad and throw up lots of shoots. So I took the drastic measure of pushing it out with the digger.
Hopefully this new tree will establish quickly and grow well. I couldn't quite believe the growth of the damson over the last ten years - you could almost grow that for a timber tree! I've put the trunk and big branches to one side and hopefully I'll make something from it later in the year. Damson is a lovely wood to work with.
Watch the video above and let me know what you think.
Great fun - Colin would have done the same - he liked any jobs that used machinery instead of hard work!
ReplyDeleteYes, I'll use the technology if it's there! One of my favourite things to do is mess about on diggers!
DeleteGood video Kev, you are a true farmers son.
ReplyDeleteHaha! I like that!
DeleteOur damson has also reverted (or been outgrown by) the rootstock. We bought a Victoria plum the same year and both must have been weak specimens as both have been outgrown by their rootstock and we have suckers everywhere. It is going to be a big job to extract them by hand!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I knew if I cut this one down it would just keep coming back up! The digger seems drastic but a good way for me to tackle it long term.
DeleteI have never heard of a Damson Tree before, although the wood looks like it would make a great project.
ReplyDeleteI love how you get excited by the roots once they are out. I do exactly the same thing.
They're like small plums, much tarter and some can only really be used cooked. But great flavour.
DeleteOrchards are a disappearing thing over here. We planted a small one the day after our wedding many years ago and time and deer have taken a toll on it so we've been starting a new one. We haven't planted any plums yet and according to google Damson's will grow well here so I might plant one just to try it out. We already have a huge cooking pear tree that it probably 50 years old so we don't need one of those.
ReplyDeleteDamsons are really worth it if you have the space. I grew up on a lot of the fruit. We have deer damage around here but they tend to stay away from ones close the house and chickens. Normally muntjac deer, not sure which ones you have.
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