Mid April update

Our earlier concerns at the apparent visual effects of the warm winter appear to have been allayed by a slow March. Later in the year some long term, delayed anomalies could still reveal .As it is April has been quite typical , especially the latter half , with pleasant warm days and a touch of frost most mornings associated with anticyclonic conditions. All very well, but at 4am the risk of damage to blossom increases from now until late May. At present just the plums are blooming, no earlier than average and the apple buds  look to be a little behind.

April to date has been good for rainfall here. Unlike the very dry spring of 2015 our land is plenty moist enough which is great for succulent flowers, irresistible to bees and other insects. Bumble bees have surfaced much earlier this spring followed by the hive bees. Ladybirds have been visible within the trees for many weeks now. A hungry Ladybird will consume a varied diet including eggs of moths which will shortly be challenging us once again. The silken , woven leaves which cling to the odd upper shoot of the apple trees are now revealing their  dozens of newly hatched larvea of  Vapoura moth which in a months time will have grown rapidly on a diet of apple leaves! They have their own defence by exuding a toxin when touched, which for humans can result in a nasty rash!

The area for vegetables has been increased for this season. Yes, we will have beetroot again amongst our usual range of beans, cabbage, tomatoes and squash etc.

Preparation of the mailing list for the 2016 season is underway. We shall publish, in June, our newsletter of the apples available to send out this season. One new consideration is that with gradual changes  in the weather during recent years our latest keeping apples are behaving differently. We noticed this with Sturmer Pippin, especially, in 2015.

Should you like to receive information either by snail mail, or by e mail, then please advise.