Mistletoe In The Orchard

Mistletoe (L) in the orchard

There are now four good sized clumps of mistletoe growing on the apple trees in the bottom section of the orchard, but this has not always been the case. Before 2007 there wasn't any mistletoe in the college grounds so the decision was made to try and introduce it into the orchard.

The very first mistletoe to grow in the orchard

In February-March 2007 the first attempt was made by making a small, thin slice in the bark to create a flap in many of the apple trees and a hundred mistletoe berries were inserted under the numerous flaps. A year later a second method was used which didn't involve cutting the trees but, instead, by hanging mistletoe from the trees in the hope that the birds would feed on the berries and, perhaps, wipe their beaks on to the bark. After three to four years the team had just about given up hope of ever seeing mistletoe in the orchard when the first set of leaves were seen on one of the apple trees. These leaves have now developed in to a good sized clump and have now been joined by three others with the beginning of a fifth one having recently been discovered. Success, but was it the first or the second method that worked?

Mistletoe berries