Operation Orchard is Complete.

Well I've either killed them or given them such a boost that they'll be groaning with the number and size of fruit in a little while.

I used the mix of loam, horse/cow/poultry manure, ash from the fireplace and blood and bone that I made last weekend. I spread it around the trees, out to their drip line. I watered the mix in well then mulched with lucerne.

I had help. I always have help.

I don't really hold out much hope that these two will produce edible fruit of some sort considering what I've learnt in the last week about rootstock, scions (grafts) and water shoots - but I'm going to give them a couple of months to see what happens.

Time will tell.