Did you know there are 30 apple trees at Meridian Playground? Most of them are from the historic Good Shepherd Center orchard.
Ever notice what a mess there is when those apples fall on the ground in the fall? Ever wonder why no one picked the apples? Do you want to help those trees grow apples you would actually want to bite into?
Come to the Meridian Playground orchard this Sunday, June 1, starting at noon, and help bring those trees back to productive health. Employees of City Fruit, a Seattle non-profit that harvests surplus fruit from private and public properties, then donates it to food banks and shelters, will teach you an effective type of organic pest management.
First remove any baby apples that are damaged, diseased, or too small. Then space the remaining apples about 6″ apart so they can receive plenty of sun and grow large, sweet and juicy. The last step is to cover each apple with a small paper bag (and a tiny rubber band) so that the pesky codling moth or apple maggot fly can’t find a suitable place to land and lay eggs. The apple grows inside the bag until harvested, worm-free.
This is just the first of many fruit tree care work parties that City Fruit will be leading at Meridian Playfield, in partnership with Seattle Parks and Recreation. Stay tuned for more volunteer opportunities at Meridian and other nearby orchards.
Then come back in the fall to harvest and enjoy local, organic apples!
PS – Sunday, start your day at the Wallingford Community Senior Center with their pancake breakfast from 9 am – noon, then take a short stroll to see what’s happening with the apple trees.
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Great turnout today – fun to meet many neighbors – especially those with orchard ladders! Take a stroll in Meridian and look at the newly bagged apple trees in the NE corner of the park. You can’t miss ’em with their white paper blossoms.