Tackling overgrown orchard

[AmIAWeed]

I've finally got permission from an orchard owner to tidy it up. He may sell in the future but not yet.
the overall aim is to add picnic benches and create a village communal space.
If I get to buy it eventually I'll have a bit as a little allotment and keep bees there

The stinging nettles were everywhere and up to my bum. The whole area was mowed (industrial mower), and cuttings left on the ground when I started with each of the trees in a cluster still with nettles and ivy all around.
So far we've cut hedges and I need to start work on weeding the bases as they are totally bare at the bottoms from ivy, nettles and sticky stuff throttling them.

My biggest concern though is the land itself - although the nettles are cut, they'll be back with a vengeance.
The who area is around an acre so weeding isn't an option.
I figure I either have to strim it on a regular basis and hope I beat them or ask if it can be ploughed, soil turned over and seed it.

Second question, the fruit trees have lots of dead branches. Can they be cut anytime?

You’ll kill off the nettles if you just keep mowing it. If you remove all the waste clippings you could sow some wildflower grass seed in a year or so. If you don’t remove the clippings the fertility of the soil will be too high and you’ll just get more weeds.

Fruit trees require pruning at different times of the year. Some in winter, some when the blossom is out. Pruning at the wrong time risks infections.
Identify each tree and research the pruning strategies.

Great, so frequent mowing should help us keep the stingers at bay - I need to clear quite a bit to ensure our normal mower can get in there as it can collect what it cuts but it may be it needs strimming and raking shorter term until I can uncover all the branches and big bits first.
The wild flower seed mix sounds like a lovely idea once the nitrogen is removed a bit.
I should have also added its a site that regularly floods, 3 times at the start of the year so it's always going to be a tricky spot.

Identifying the trees may take a while due to the amount of ivy growing up them but hopefully by autumn the odd one may have some fruit so we can identify! I've been told there's apples (cookers and eaters) and plums. I suspect there is a sloe tree as well but may need to take a few snaps and compare online when i'm home.

If you don't cut into live wood, you can cut out dead wood whenever you like.

Choose your wildflower seed carefully. Most mixes are of cornfield weeds which won't do well in shade.

The sloe will be the earliest to flower, with blossom before the leaves. It will have thorns and quite dark coloured twigs (hence "blackthorn").
Normal pruning of apples is in winter, but that's because usually because you're still encouraging growth; summer pruning discourages growth. But major regeneration pruning needs to be in winter.

Buy it first.
You are improving it tor him and increasing its value!

@Perch he's a long term friend so I'll get first refusal, I've also run out of room in my garden so for me this is fun as well as adding a community space to the village.
I've never had an orchard, so looking forward to the challenge of learning something new - I'd only really be buying it to ensure it always remains an orchard

@MereDintofPandiculation I'm guessing it's not a sloe then as although it's very dark there's no signs of blossom or spent blossom.
The apples are starting to flower although it's pretty sparse.
I'll get a pic of my mystery bush tomorrow :)

You'll probably need this!
www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=279