As there is no water in either of the Landulph Orchard Green fields, the group got a grant from the Tamar Valley National Landscape to build a rainwater harvesting system. This collects water off a shed roof in a neighbouring field and stores it in tanks. There is a pipe from the tanks to both fields with taps to which a hose can be connected to water the trees.
First the shed had to be cleared of undergrowth and the ground levelled for the tanks. Thanks to the Bests for donating the tanks. New guttering was installed.
A pipe was laid from the tanks to the top of Duke Orchard, buried across the gateway and run down the side of the field. It will be extended along the hedges to Duchess Green.
Two taps were installed in Duke Orchard with a roving hose allowing the watering of all 46 trees currently in the orchard to be watered with ease. Now we just need it to rain to fill up the tanks with water.
Thanks to all the volunteers who worked so hard on this part of the project with a particular thanks to Jo and Andrew Butcher who applied for the grant, designed the system and sourced all of the many parts needed to build it.
