Chris, plus Anne and i are continuing to maintain the tree nursery in these difficult times.
Regular checking of the stratification boxes has yielded another 7-8 more bags of germinating seed. There are only 12 bags left now. Indeed, 8 of these are 'slow' germinating seeds. We therefore hope/expect only a few more bags to produce germinating seed before the end of April; which is effectively the cut-off time for germination.

Anne has hosed down the trees every week for 2-3 hours and we have put all the baby Yews and Holly into trays, plus re-potted about 30-40 of the Hollies. 
We are experimenting with a wood-chip mulch across half of the purging buckthorn and Hawthorn stock, to see whether they fare any better.
The pile of dead branches dumped in the outside bay has all been put into the dead hedge and Chris has mended the lattice-work top of the gate. Jeff currently has the storm battered specialbranch sign in his home, awaiting repair. Perhaps, when restrictions are less draconian, we could tie our sign back to the front fence in a re-opening ceremony?

​Finally, after checking the seedlings germinating in the boxes, i couldn't help noticing around 30 wild service tree seedlings have emerged. What  a success! I hope everyone is well. Don't hesitate to comment and let me know how things are with you. I am aware that wine levels in the Brighton area are a lot less than normal!

Obviously life at the nursery has changed somewhat dramatically in the past few weeks.
Just as we were finishing winter tidying and prun- ing tasks, lockdown restrictions were imposed.

As a consequence, all our volunteers, bar Chris and myself, now have to stay away from the nursery. Luckily we had almost finished tidying and pruning the nursery. The last week we all gathered saw all the fruit trees judiciously pruned and the willow area tidied up. Currently chris comes in on fridays and myself(+my partner Anne) turn up on monday. 
Principally, we check the stratification boxes and water/weed, plus various other jobs. This arrangement seems to just about work at present, as times are quieter now. Saying that, on monday Anne and i were rather surprised to find 15 bags of seeds germinating. As a result of processing these bags the tables(above) are groaning with germinating seeds and seedlings growing robustly. Only 18 bags now remain in two boxes.

The Guelder rose seedlings(pic. right) are looking exceptionally lively. Hopefully this means we will have plenty of seedlings to transplant in June, and therefore more sales stock in a year or two.
Hopefully the lockdown situation will have changed a little by then as the transplanting season represents a far busier time at the nursery. Chris and i may have to rethink the' two days a week with one person on each day' strategy. It is rather a cruel twist that all our volunteers have plenty of time to lend a hand, but an incapacity to actually turn up!
I do hope you are all keeping safe and well. I will  endeavour to provide more regular blog updates about the nursery. Feel free to comment on the blog. This can be also used as an open site to keep in touch with other volunteers and find out how each other are doing. Just use the comments option to let me know what you are up to and comment on each others comments!
​Stay safe and well