A visitor to Crapes Fruit Farm, observing the nearest two apple trees by the yard would assume that, come the Autumn, a busy time is ahead. The top trees of both Ribston Pippin, and Greensleeves, are showing a plentiful crop of, now swelling, fruitlets.
Move a short way from the shelter of buildings and hedges and the picture is less inspiring, some trees sporting barely a handful of apples.
Varieties which are obvious include, Discovery, Worcester Pearmain, some Sturmer Pippin, some Ribston Pippin, Red Ellison and some Cox, these mainly on the very old trees (1959 plant). Our collection of lesser known varieties, also, show very few fruits.
Of particular disappointment are the lack of Arthur Turner,D’arcy Spice, Kidd’s Orange Red, Laxton’s Fortune, Michaelmas Red, St Edmund’s Russet and Sunset.
It seems that the fruit which has set was on flowers blooming during the last week of April. (As mentioned previously the Worcester Pearmain bloomed most unusually early).
The June drop is happening now. There are some fruits which have cracked – these often do not have an even distribution of pips within. There is some russetting which can be attributed to cold during early May.
Virtually 100mm rainfall has arrived during the last four weeks, a good start to rehydrating the subsoil in time for fruit bud formation ready for 2020 blossoming.
Our Plums look more promising, Quince are showing now and the Medlars, which flower mid May, should have benefited from rain at fruit set.
If February had of lived up to its folklore reputation ‘February fill dyke’ instead of dehydrating everything, the picture might well have been different now.
Our Friday delivery round incorporating Colchester has begun . Watch Facebook ‘Crapes Fruit Farm’ for availability details of our fruit and vegetables, normally posted during Wednesday.
Nocturnal pests include deer, Roe and Fallow – particularly fond of self pulled beetroot!
