A bigger home for the apple seedlings

The apple seedlings at Riverdell have reached the next stage: bigger temporary pots. They've grown from seed, and the rows of little plants now need more space while they're still a long way from being full-sized trees. That has turned into quite a collection of pots on the lawn.

There's a practical side to the job. Pots need filling, seedlings need moving across and the newly settled plants need a drink. The photographs show different parts of the same session, from empty pots lined up on the grass to little trees in their new homes. It's satisfying to see the group come together.

It's also a job the kids can join in with. There are small watering jobs alongside the bigger work, with an elephant-shaped watering can making an appearance. Getting involved gives them a chance to see what growing a tree actually involves, with the adults working beside them. There's plenty to do together without turning it into a complicated lesson.

Further ahead, there are the possibilities that make apple trees appealing in the first place. Perhaps fruit for a crumble, some apple sauce, or simply an apple picked from a tree we've grown. Those are things to look forward to, rather than a harvest promise; these are still little seedlings with plenty of growing ahead.

That makes the immediate stage quite a good focus. We can give the little plants more room, involve the kids in the work and watch what develops. The possible apples are further ahead; the small trees and the jobs around them are already here.

For now, the job at our Riverdell farm is to keep them going. The rows of pots are a good start, with the smaller care jobs continuing after the main potting session.