The recent frosty weather we've been having over the last couple of weeks has brought some beautiful clear blue-sky days to Appletree Cottage and Croftamie.
In our Shandon Farm apple orchard, all the leaves have fallen and the trees lie still and bare.
Looking west beyond Croftamie village, we can see the distinctive point of Drumgoyne hill which steeply rises just above the Glengoyne Distillery, one of the oldest in Scotland, famous for its single malt. Well worth booking the visitors' tour..
Frost can create some stunning effects, even on humble blades of grass. It really marks the start of winter.
There are forty-eight varieties of apple tree on the farm, many are ancient Scottish varieties. We use the apples to press for juice and jellies which we sell locally during season. The varieties fruit at slightly different times, some shed their leaves earlier than others.
A harsh winter is generally good for fruit trees as the cold kills off a lot of the unwanted bugs and parasites. One problem we have is roe deer which can find their way through the fence into the orchard. Once they've found a way in, they tell their friends. The main problem with deer is that they tear off lower branches to eat the bark - opening up the tree to infection. Worse still is when they strip off the bark all the way round the trunk which can kill the tree.
Here in Scotland, the sun remains pretty low at this time of year. Winter is a good time to prune fruit trees. Pruning in winter promotes growth. However, if you are trying to limit the height or size of your tree, summer pruning discourages growth.
Despite the cold weather Appletree Cottage is warm and cosy and open all the year round for our guests. We welcome people from all over the world and are pleased to help our visitors make the best of their stay in the beautiful countryside surrounding Loch Lomond and Croftamie which are situated in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.
Wonderful weather!
