Help us to look after Hollingdean fruit trees

We meet at Growing Hollingdean shed on the corner of Brentwood Road and Lynchet Close at 10am. We wait 10 minutes before going on to our location within the estate. One of our Growing Hollingdean volunteers will talk through the mornings plan, give out equipment, including some Health & Safety tips. 

It’s free fitness, a chance to make new friends, and we always have a good laugh along the way.

022 Plum Tree – Victoria and 015 Cherry Plum Tree, see our tree map

Volunteers seen on Davey Drive, 2nd August 2026

Ten volunteers took part in Sunday’s Tree Guardians session. It was a very hot day, and the shade provided by the trees was especially welcome. Summer is the ideal time to prune fruit tree suckers, as removing them directs the tree’s energy back into healthy growth and can help prevent disease. For more information, see the RHS guide here: https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/trees/removing-suckers-trees-shrubs.

Using secateurs and loppers, we removed the suckers before chopping them into smaller pieces. Rather than disposing of the cuttings, we spread them around the base of the trees to create a natural mulch. This helps retain moisture, provides shade for the soil, and creates valuable habitat for insects and other wildlife.

Please help by caring for the tree near you

If you’re unable to join our Sunday morning volunteer sessions but would still like to help, we’d be very grateful if you could look after the tree nearest to you in your own time. Simple tasks such as weeding, watering, and light pruning can make a real difference. Please keep us updated by email or text with any activities you carry out, and we’ll add them to our logbook (no pun intended!).

Thank you to all the volunteers involved.