June Update

A common subject of conversation locally this spring has been of the chilly wind and cold nights often with reference to ‘putting the heating on in the evenings’.

The dry months of March and April have long been forgotten as May here has been marked by spells of cold rainy weather at the beginning, and, dull, stormy conditions during the last week.

The  result of all these vicissitudes is now becoming apparent. For instance, the land is wet and soft between the apple trees – unusual for early in June, Because the soil has been wet its temperature has been held down affecting root development of anything, except grass, so it seems, and sown seeds which have germinated most erratically. The tomato plants nearest the door in the greenhouse are well behind those away from the draft whenever it has been opened. Often the sun has been hot on an uncovered head but the chilly wind raises goose pimples on the arms below. This rather unwelcome airflow, often from the North Sea – but not always, has largely been responsible for the patchy crop of apples that we can see currently. Hive bees just don’t like cold winds to fly in, let alone rain with them. Bumble bees are more tolerant of both wind and drizzle but then the nature of the apple flower requires 10 deg Centigrade (shirt sleeve weather) to stand any chance of setting. Strong easterlies do not provide these conditions during April and early in May!

Plums and Damsons look fine, Quince not really showing reliably yet, Apples, we are not without but some varieties, Cox in particular are few, as are the very early eating apples.

Our ‘Apples By Post’ customers will soon be receiving their information for this season which will reflect the above. We could be short of small apples as everything will grow larger, being fewer of them. Fortunately we have all kinds of apples during the season and the ‘Mixture rows’ whether because they are nearer the hedges, or the bumble bees, or they are older, larger trees, have a reasonable show on them.

The Dutch Light structure is now yielding beetroot, and, the first round french beans. The tomatoes are just beginning to set. Purple Milan turnips are responding to the wet, and increased humidity, outside.

The veg beds are now filling with runner beans , sweetcorn, courgettes, beetroot, with space for leeks and cabbages later on. Parsnips are between the  broad bean, and also the onion rows.

A ‘first’ for us, since 1922, is the discovery of bee orchids beneath some Red Ellison trees this week!