Residents plant new orchard at Chubb’s House
News story by Joe Hashman – February 2026
February 25th was the gorgeous, sunny breath of fresh air which forecasters predicted. We took the chance to wash all bed linen and get it dried outside, where our borders are transitioning from snowdrop white to daffodil yellow.
While sunshine and breeze worked their magic on the laundry I took some fruit trees to Chubb’s House on Salisbury Street, for planting in their garden. Conditions were perfect and we got the job done within an hour.
The idea for creating a little orchard within the structure of their garden was borne out of a meeting organised in late January. Back in 2011 I worked at an Almshouse in Bruton with Beverley, who now lives at Chubb’s. She was Assistant Matron, I was Gardener. Fast forward a few years; our paths re-cross again and, in conversation about Shaftesbury Orchard Town, we mused, “Wouldn’t it be nice?”
There was a good turn out at that meeting and refreshing energy from Residents. An urge to crack on and not waste time. They trusted me to source six trees, three apples, three pears and hence, on a warm, blue-sky Wednesday morning at the tail end of Feb, we got them in the ground.
Apples and pears are grafted onto rootstocks which control how vigorously they grow and also the size of a fully mature specimen. We got apples on a ‘semi dwarfing’ rootstock called M26, and pears on Quince A. Expect height and spread of 3 to 3½ metres and 4 to 5 metres respectively. The trees themselves were one year old ‘maiden whips’, which essentially look like a thin twigs with roots. I’m a big fan of planting trees small and young because generally they establish quicker and stronger.
Doing the deed was straightforward. I simply worked my spade head into the soil vertically, stamped and wiggled it to open a slot, then pushed the roots down with my fingertips. This is called ‘slot planting’ and keeps soil disturbance to a minimum. The key is to plant each whip at the same depth as grown in the nursery. You don’t want any roots showing above ground and also mustn’t bury the graft union (which is an easy-to-identify kink low down).
After carefully closing the slot with my boot and firming the soil, inserting a stick for support and tying it with an old stocking (the best thing for the job), I gave instructions to apply one full watering can per tree weekly through spring and summer. No need to prune. That starts next winter.
“How long do we have to wait before we get something to eat?” Hazel asked.
“Four or five years,” I said, adding a proviso which applies to everyone without exception, “if we’re spared.”
• Learn more about rootstocks, to help you choose the perfect fruit tree for your garden or green space, here: Rootstocks for fruit | RHS Advice
You can get in touch with The Shaftesbury Tree Group at planetshaftesbury@gmail.com.
