WEEDING the tree pits

Continuing from previous post

After checking on pests and diseases, we went off to give our attention to the trees.  We removed guards around the tree pits and pulled out competing ‘weed’ plants.

Photo A. Sheridan: Tree pit full of grass 'weeds'

What is a weed you may ask? Our definition is a plant that is growing where you don’t want it to. In this case, mainly long grass but also creeping buttercups and dandelions with their long roots, all competing with the trees for water and nutrients.

We wanted to keep the bulbs that had given a lovely show of flowers just a few weeks earlier. We also wanted to keep the comfrey we had planted for its value to the orchard.

Photo A Sheridan: Comfrey in flower

Why comfrey?  In flower, it attracts bees and other pollinators from late May. A number of other invertebrates live on and among its leaves. Comfrey is regarded as a ‘dynamic accumulator’ plant with its deep roots that bring nutrients from the subsoil and up into the leaves. In our orchard we use the ‘chop and drop’ method of chopping down the leaves to use as mulch around the trees and to return nutrients to the soil.

Photo A Sheridan: bee on comfrey flower

The volunteers worked hard and the trees were happy. The following photos show some of the volunteers who gave up their time.

Photo R Hero

Photo R Hero

Photo R. Hero

The following photos show two of the cleared tree pits.

Photo R. Hero

Photo R. Hero

summer volunteering in our orchard

 18th May 2026, will it rain or won't it? 

The weather forecast seemed unpromising, cloudy and rain likely in the morning. But the orchard trees were looking forward to a bit of TLC and we didn’t want to disappoint.

Eight volunteers arrived, ready to check tree health, to look for pests and diseases.

We looked for apple ermine moth caterpillars chomping away in curled leaves covered by their webbing. The webs protect them against any would-be predators looking for a meal of their own. We didn’t find any but will keep looking.

We looked for powdery mildew and found plenty. 

The volunteers will prune these and dispose of diseased leaves carefully, away from the trees, and clean the pruning tools to avoid spreading the disease.

photo A. Sheridan: powdery mildew

One volunteer spotted what looked like a small fluffy ball – a sign of woolly aphids. These are sap-sucking insects, hiding in cracks in bark or in old pruning cuts. When anyone picks at the fluffy featheriness you will find inside small purplish aphids.

Photo A. Sheridan: woolly aphid

Some trees showed signs of pests mainly at the top of the crown, with many leaves looking ragged due to holes and brown/ black spots round the edges. 

Two possibilities for this:

• Either caterpillars like Apple Ermine moth munching the leaves 
• Or Apple Scab which is a fungal disease. 

We’ll keep an eye on this. No photos as the leaves were too high in the crown.

While looking we also found lichen. Don't worry, lichen doesn't harm the trees. It is said that lichen is an indicator of good air quality. 

Photo A. Sheridan: lichen on apple tree

Litter pick - a great success

 The weather was perfect for a litter pick in Mayow Park, sunny and dry.

This event in Mayow Park was organised by Pippa from Friends of Mayow Park (FOMP) and Alice from Climate Action Lewisham (CAL) as part of the annual national  Great British Spring Clean by Keep Britain Tidy.

Park users came to help prompted by Pippa's publicity poster on the park gates

Young and old, individuals, family groups, came willingly to do their bit for the park . FOMP and CAL provided litter picks and gloves and some people brought their own. Teams spread out through the park and into the wooded areas. 

Photo: A Sheridan

Items found included plastic bottles, drinks cans, food wrappers and containers, which had been expected. Larger items included a clothes airer and a child's scooter. But also unfortunately a few nitrous oxide canisters were found in the woods and these were kept separate from the general litter bags. In total some 25 bags were filled.   

Photo: A Sheridan

How many people gave their time? 16 adults, 12 children and 3 dogs came to help out. Thank you to all those people. Below are photos of some volunteers.

Photo: Pippa Moss

Photo: Pippa Moss

Glendale sent one of their staff to remove all the bags. What a lovely, helpful man he was.

Photo: Pippa Moss

Photo: Pippa Moss

This proved to be a great multi-generational event, such as success, the first we have held for several years.  But it is sad to reflect that such events are needed up and down the country to keep our green spaces clean and safe for the community.

Pond for the orchard

 The Orchard Project and Froglife were keen that we enhance the orchard for wildlife by adding a pond. See The Orchard Project and Froglife here.

The plan was to create a small pond that would be part of the Blue Chain project which started in Spring 2024 and will continue for 3 years. 

With support from Eszter, Lewisham's Ecological Regeneration Manager, from Emily of Nature's Gym, and from Glendale managers, we agreed to locate the pond behind the orchard  to improve our developing wildlife area. Volunteers recently built a stag beetle loggery and there is a pile of felled trees from tree surgery last year. Together they form a clearing where previously it was a dense secondary woodland. 

Rose introduces the workday

The pond was built by a team of  ten hardworking volunteers on 20th March 2025, facilitated by Rose from Froglife and Lizzy from The Orchard Project. 

Lizzy planned this event to the last detail:  Underlay and pond liner had been purchased in advance.  The necessary tools were  provided. Sandwiches, snacks, hot and cold drinks arrived for lunch. 

Volunteers arrived. Everyone set to work to dig out the pond.

Work starts

Pond dug with shelving

Underlay and liner fitted carefully

The spoil dug out to make the pond was piled up to create a butterfly and bee bank, seeded with suitable wild flower seeds.

Butterfly and bee bank

What else? How to get water to fill the pond! There is no easily accessible water supply nearby but we overcame that problem thanks to support from a Glendale manager. (Glendale are the contractors who manage the park for Lewisham Council). 

We had arranged with a Glendale manager that a bowser of water would arrive when it was time to fill the pond. All went to plan. We will have to work out a water supply solution for the future.

Water supply to the pond

A final touch from volunteers was to roll a felled trunk down to the pond to create seating.

New seating for visitors to the pond

Some of the team

We were lucky with the weather, best described as wall-to-wall sunshine.

We received confirmation a few days later that our small pond will be part of the 100 London Blue Chain ponds project. 

More photos from orchard session in September

 More photos from our great session

Barrow full of wood chips

Barrow with equipment

wood chips ready to use

Weeding

And more weeding

September 2024 dog show

 So lucky this morning. Too much rain has fallen over the past few weeks- would we be able to hold this event? But Sunday 8th September was dry and warm.

Setting up: At 9 a.m the Glendale staff arrived to set up the 'ring' for the dog show, next to the tennis courts. Our team of volunteers were greeted with smiles.

The gazebo was set up and table prepared by some FOMP volunteers.

Table set up ready

 Our poster: There were various categories and dog owners could register their dog for more than one category - see this poster. 

                                                                      

Registration: People arrived to register their dogs                                                                                         

Our helpers: Helpers wore our very own Friends of Mayow Park hi-viz tabards. One helper was particularly hard working: Can you spot them in the following photos?

                                                 

Let the show begin: Show time. So many wonderful dogs.

Our judge had a tough time deciding some of the winners.

This was the second year of the Friends of Mayow Park dog show. We've had requests for another show next year. Photos with thanks to Robert and to Pippa.