Monthly Archives: October 2019

Christmas trees in Staffordshire - Christmas tree

Have an Authentic Christmas with Weston Sawmill

It’s a debate we seem to have every time Christmas edges closer each year – should I buy a fake or an authentic Christmas tree?
Here at Weston Sawmill, we feel there are multiple benefits to buying a genuine Christmas tree and in our latest blog, we are going to share them with you!

We stock three types of Christmas tree – the classic Nordmann Fir, potted Nordmann and potted Norway Spruce with a host of decorations in our store that fit perfectly with each one.

Five Reasons to Buy a Real Christmas Tree

Authenticity – You will only get that genuine seasonal feel from a real Christmas tree plus picking out one from our farm is a fun activity for the entire family to enjoy.
That ‘Christmassy’ Scent – The divine pine scent only comes from a real Christmas tree.
Do Your Bit for the Environment – All of our Christmas trees here at Weston Sawmill are grown specifically at our farm, meaning you won’t be taking a tree from a natural woodland or forest. Once you purchase one of our trees our team will also plant another in its place ready for next Christmas, making them sustainable too.
Recyclable – Carrying on the theme of being environmentally friendly, a genuine Christmas tree can be recycled after the festive season, rather than being dumped on a landfill site like a fake one.
Shop Local – As the leading supplier of Christmas trees in Staffordshire and Shropshire, Weston Sawmill grow all of our trees locally. Buying your tree from us means you will be supporting local business plus you be getting an organic and pesticide-free Christmas tree.

Weston Sawmill – The Only Destination for Christmas Trees in Staffordshire

For over two decades Weston Sawmill has been the leading the supplier of high-quality, home-grown Christmas trees for customers in Staffordshire and Shropshire.
We are ideally situated on the A5 on the border between the two counties, with an extensive product range that also includes made-to-measure gates, decking and fencing.
If you’d like to know more about or range of Christmas trees, please get in touch today.

Halloween - Weston Sawmill

Harvest your Apples Ready for Halloween!

The month of October is the perfect time to harvest your home-grown fruit and get those apples ready for Halloween!

Bobbing for apples was an age-old tradition on Halloween for many years, with the origins believed to have come from the Roman invasion of Britain where the armies brought over this activity from ancient Celtic festivals.
Bobbing for apples is less popular now, with baking toffee apples and giving them out for eager trick or treaters on 31st October considered a more modern and fun practice.

Here we are going to share some handy tips about storing your fruit to make sure they’re all treat and no trick.

The Right Time to Store Your Fruit

Weston Sawmill’s range of raised flower beds are a great place to grow your own fruit and when your fruit is ripe for the picking it’s important to know how long you can store them before eating.

Mid-season apples – Can be stored for between four and eight weeks
Late season apples – This type of apple won’t be ready until they’ve been stored for four to five weeks but they can last for several months
Pears – Depending on the storage conditions, pears can be stored between two weeks and three months
Quince – These should be used within the first month after being picked
Your pears don’t need to feel left out of the spooky festivities either, as you can always use them to bake a pear and toffee pudding if you’re having a Halloween party.

Grow Frighteningly Good Fruit in Your Garden

Creating a fruit garden is a fun activity for budding gardeners and will give you your own source of fruit between spring and autumn. By planting your fruit trees in raised flower beds you will protect them from any unwanted attention plus the heightened surface ensures they will get more sunlight.
Also having higher fences (such as our close boarded panel fencing) will stop outside wildlife getting into your garden and disrupting your fruit’s growth.

Want to Know More? Get in Touch!

If you have any questions about starting your own fruit garden, get in touch with Weston Sawmill today and we can provide all the answers.
Oh and Happy Halloween from Weston Sawmill!

Winter garden - Weston Sawmill

How to Prepare Your Garden for Winter Part 1

Autumn is a great opportunity for gardeners to tidy up your garden ready for the colder temperatures of winter.
This could consist of getting rid of dead vegetation leftover from the summer, tidying up borders or clearing out your gutters. For our latest blog, we are going to share some essential gardening tips for autumn.

Getting Scrubbing Shade Paint

To make sure your greenhouse plants get the maximum amount of light as the nights draw in, we would recommend scrubbing shade paint from the greenhouse windows. By letting more of the sun’s rays through the glass this will mean temperatures climb slightly higher and save you money on heating bills.

This is easy to do, simply use a bucket of hot water and elbow grease to get your glass looking sparkling clean plus this is always a good time to check and replaced damaged panes and clear your greenhouse gutters.

Clear Out Compost Bins

Autumn is the ideal time to clear up borders and vegetable plots to generate material for your compost heap. Now you can clear out last year’s compost to use around the garden, making room for this year’s waste in the process. If your compost isn’t ready yet you can turn it to improve decomposition and then create a new heap next to it for fresh organic matter.

Keep Gardening Equipment Immaculate

Before your lawnmower goes into the shed for the winter, it’s worthwhile sending it for a service make sure it’s in top tip condition ready for next spring. Shears and secateurs will need sharpening, which you can do yourself or send them away to a professional.

Spades, forks and other tools will benefit from a good wash but make sure you dry everything thoroughly and oil metal parts to prevent rust. Wooden handles can be cleaned and protected using linseed oil but make sure you dispose of rags carefully as linseed can combust as it dries.

Get the Garden of Your Dreams with Weston Sawmill

For over 20 years, Weston Sawmill has been the leading provider of made to measure gates, fencing and decking for customers across Shropshire and Staffordshire.
So if you are thinking of giving your garden an autumn makeover then please get in touch with us today.

Nordmann Christmas Trees

How We Grow Our Nordmann Fir Christmas Trees

We are almost into single figures of the number of weeks until Christmas, so now is the time to start thinking about the best kind of Christmas tree for your home.

Here at Weston Sawmill, we are proud to be the leading supplier of Christmas trees in Shropshire and Staffordshire. One of our most popular types of Christmas tree we supply is the Nordmann Fir range that we grow here in Weston-under-Lizard, Shropshire.

It may seem crazy, but to grow a 6 foot Nordmann Fir tree takes between 6 and 10 years, and plenty of dedication from our team. Here we are going to discuss the tasks we undertake to make sure our trees grow healthily and look spectacular.

The Pre-Planting Process

Controlling weed growth is essential for our Christmas tree plantations, especially grass weeds. A pre-plant application of Glyphosate or a similar herbicide is added in late summer or autumn prior to planting.
By cultivating prior to planting in the autumn we also add a further application of herbicide to any weeds that germinate prior to planting.

Controlling Weeds

High-quality Christmas trees can only be grown by keeping them away from the weeds. The foliage of the lower branches are susceptible to weeds and will go brown if smothered. Glyphosate can be used when the trees are dormant, and we would usually use a half rate of spray.

Protecting Our Christmas Trees

To help our Christmas trees grow to their full potential, it’s essential to protect them from outside influences such as –
Rabbits – Our Christmas trees are protected by rabbit-proof fences to stop them from getting nibbled on by our floppy-eared friends.
Insects – By spraying pesticide several times during growing seasons this will control pests such as aphids.

Get in Touch to Order Your Christmas Tree Today

For over two decades Weston Sawmill has been the leading provider of home-grown Christmas trees to customers all over Shropshire and Staffordshire.
Our base in Weston-under-Lizard is ideally situated on the A5 on the Shropshire/Staffordshire border, making us an easy commute from both counties.
If you’d like to know more about our range of Christmas trees, please contact us today.