Notes re The Willow Crop at Chester Hope - 30th June

The willow crop is looking healthy and growing vigorously, as shown in the attached images, and is doing well.

Two years ago, we replanted three areas of the plot with Trustworthy, Green Dicks, and Bleu Bleu. The two-year-old stools are showing slight signs of distress due to low rainfall, with a few yellow leaves close to the ground. There is evidence that the Black Maul stools were browsed earlier in the growing season. This is a benefit, as the rod crop will be mostly at the optimum length rather than too long. The attached image of the growth of the Black Maul shows the few longer rods that did not get browsed, and the majority of the preferred shorter rods.

The knee-high grass and weeds in the working area are cut, and Jane Cheadle and I plan to pull weeds around the stools later in the week.