Orchard Talks at Brogdale
We are pleased to re introduce our evening orchard talks at Brogdale Farm as part of our objectives for delivering information and education of the National Fruit Collection. Our orchard talks will be on a variety of seasonal subjects and hosted by us (Brogdale Collections Charity) and eminent stakeholders/partners.
If you are already an Orchard pass holder then you can attend these evenings completely FREE of charge. Not yet an Orchard pass holder? Why not? This gives you even more of a reason to invest in becoming one. Still unsure? Not to worry, you can still attend any of the following talks for just £10.00 per person (no concessions available).
An orchard walk is included with every talk, and there will also be fruit tastings when applicable.
Talks will start at 7pm promptly and be finished by 8.30pm. What a wonderful summer evening well spent!
Orchard Talks Programme 2023
5th July Summer pruning with John Easton.
14th July History of Cherries with Jonathan Fryer.
26th July Pests & diseases in apple, pear, plum and cherry trees with Neil Franklin.
13th Sept Cider Making at Brogdale with tasting.
26th Sept Meet the Scientists – scientific curation of the National Fruit Collection with Matt Ordidge.
11th Oct Propagating Fruit Trees with grafting
TBA History of the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale Farm.
More to follow…
What to Expect?
John Easton – Summer Pruning – 5th July
Why and when do you summer prune fruit trees? Is accuracy important in making the secateur cuts? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this pruning system? The evening will include a demonstration of pruning and ways in which you can control excessive water shoot growth.
Jonathan Fryer – History of Cherries – 14th July
Cherries have been grown in our area for hundreds of years & are the symbol of Sittingbourne & Milton Regis. Come & explore the history of these delicious fruits & learn about their evolution into today’s varieties. There will be an opportunity for a private visit to the National Cherry Collection & to enjoy walking under the beautiful trees representing over 300 varieties. You will hear about varieties grown in Swale, the breeders who created them & their importance to the economy & gastronomy. There should be an opportunity to taste & compare varieties & advice for planting your own. Remember Swale grown cherries are the finest in the World as appreciated by Henry VIII.
Neil Franklin – Pests and Disease in Fruit Trees – 26th July
This talk will cover common pests and diseases that can be found in apples, pears, plums and cherries. What conditions are conducive for infections/infestations and what actions can be taken to control them and reduce the risk of them appearing. The talk will be accompanied by images and hopefully some examples if any can be found!
Matt Ordidge – Meet the Scientists – 26th September
Dr Matt Ordidge is the Scientific Curator of the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale. He will talk about the origins of the collections and their important role in protecting genetic diversity. Being based at the University of Reading, he will also talk about the scientific curation of the collection, including the use of DNA fingerprinting to compare trees and the management of the collection as an international gene bank.
David Morrice – Propagating Fruit Trees – grafting – 11th October
David has worked in horticulture since 1974 and has been involved in many different areas including landscaping and producing salad crops. Previous to working in Grow at Brogdale, David worked at East Malling Research Centre growing and propagating fruit for scientists. He has now been at Brogdale for 6 years, propagating fruit trees from the National Fruit Collection for retail customers.
Please remember to bring your valid pass and photo ID when attending the course free of charge.
Bookings are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Purchase an annual Pass here.
