Questions

WE HAVE AN ORCHARD OF 18 APPLE TREES WHICH HAS BEEN NEGLECTED SINCE PLANTING 10 YEARS AGO. THERE ARE 10 VARIETIES ALL PURCHASED FROM SEED SAVERS THEY ARE HERITAGE APPLE TREES.AND WERE ORIGINALLY SUBJECT TO A FARMING GRANT. NOW WE ARE RETIRED FROM FARMING AND IN OUR 80.S HAVE MORE TIME TO TAKE FULL INTEREST IN THE ORCHARD. SEED SAVERS HAVE THIS SAME QUESTION PENDING AND IT WILL BE SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE THEY ANSWER.OUR PROBLEM IS IN THE :MRS PERRY: TREE WHICH PRODUCES LOVELY BIG APPLES THEY DO NOT KEEP AND GO BAD FROM THE MIDDLE ALSO THERE IS A HOLE GRINDED INTO SOME TREES WHICH COULD BE CODLING MOTH. WE HAVE FED BORON TO ALL THE TREES BUT STILL MRS PERRY APPLES STILL GO BAD FROM THE CORE. CAN YOU SUGGEST FURTHER HELP ?

I have a plastic compost bin. When I open the lid loads of earthworms fall down. Where do they come from? Are they on way in or way out?

I tried to sow Creeping Thyme as grass alternative last August. I dug few inches off the existing clay soil, I added chicken manure and one layer of compost, 10-15cm of westland nutrient rich top soil, then seeds mixed with sand all around the garden but it wouldn't germinate (weeds are doing great though...!). I have a few questions now: What shall I do to stop weeds from spreading (I was thinking to throw granular weed killer once a month)? Anything you would advice to do, before I try again next spring?

My Dahlias and Rudbeckia have all been knocked to the ground. I will have to cut them all back now as I would have done after 1st frost. Will this have adverse effect on next year's blooms. Also should I lift and store the dahlia tubers now or leave them until frost arrives?. I'm sure you will get many similar questions over next few days.

Going planting griselinia hedging - any general advice re planting , depth , spacing and ground preparation including compost , soils and feed.

Can you please tell me what this tree is? Can I harvest the seeds to bring back and plant when I move back to Dublin next year? I want to be sure it's non-invasive for Ireland too.