Orchard Network Management Standards
The UK Orchard Network promotes orchards for fruit, for people, and for the wildlife that lives in them. The Standards have been developed by our members as a guide for owners and managers to get the best out of their orchards.
The Orchard Lifecycle
Throughout the life of the orchard
No pesticides (herbicides, insecticides or fungicides) are used on the trees or in the orchard at any time.
The use of fertilisers is discouraged but if fertilisers are used they must be 100% natural, from sustainably-managed sources and must only be used around the base of the trees and not on the sward of the orchard.
All pruning is done using hand tools. Trees are kept in good form with regular pruning. As a general guide, some pruning of mature trees should take place once every three years and annually during formative pruning.
The orchard is registered on the National Inventory of traditional orchards maintained by The People’s Trust for Endangered Species.
https://ptes.org/orchard-questionnaire
Fruit trees are guarded in an appropriate way to protect them from wildlife and livestock.
To encourage an ecologically rich and biologically diverse environment.
Increased sward fertility encourages growth of grass and vigorous weeds such as dock, thereby discouraging wild-flowers which provide a year-round habitat and resource for pollinators.
To promote tree health and respect wildlife (birds’ nests, etc.). To ensure the long-term survival of the trees.
To enable an assessment to be made of the number and state of the nation’s orchards. The registration process is simple and free.
Registration of an orchard on PTES’ website is a requirement for grant applications related to orchards.
To protect the trees and ensure their longevity – without fruit trees there is no orchard!
Sward management and other items
Grass is either grazed, or cut once per year, after seed has set, in order to encourage wildflowers. If grass is cut, the cuttings should be removed from the orchard after a few dry days to allow seed dispersal.
The wildflower sward or hay meadow of an orchard represents an important part of an orchard’s overall value. The management of the grass should encourage the growth of wildflowers. It is important that wildflowers have the opportunity to set their seeds and that the grass itself doesn’t become too dominant.
Throughout the life of the orchard
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No pesticides (herbicides, insecticides or fungicides) are used on the trees or in the orchard at any time.
The use of fertilisers is discouraged but if fertilisers are used they must be 100% natural, from sustainably-managed sources and must only be used around the base of the trees and not on the sward of the orchard.
All pruning is done using hand tools. Trees are kept in good form with regular pruning. As a general guide, some pruning of mature trees should take place once every three years and annually during formative pruning.
The orchard is registered on the National Inventory of traditional orchards maintained by The People’s Trust for Endangered Species.
https://ptes.org/orchard-questionnaire
Fruit trees are guarded in an appropriate way to protect them from wildlife and livestock.
List Title
This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to start editing the content and make sure to add any relevant details or information that you want to share with your visitors.
No pesticides (herbicides, insecticides or fungicides) are used on the trees or in the orchard at any time.
The use of fertilisers is discouraged but if fertilisers are used they must be 100% natural, from sustainably-managed sources and must only be used around the base of the trees and not on the sward of the orchard.
All pruning is done using hand tools. Trees are kept in good form with regular pruning. As a general guide, some pruning of mature trees should take place once every three years and annually during formative pruning.
The orchard is registered on the National Inventory of traditional orchards maintained by The People’s Trust for Endangered Species.
https://ptes.org/orchard-questionnaire
Fruit trees are guarded in an appropriate way to protect them from wildlife and livestock.