Post Blossom

Now is the time of year when, slowly, developing fruitlets should be showing themselves.

It is June now, and usually the tree selects those fruitlets which are strong enough to stay to an eventual  edible result. A process known as the ‘June Drop’

Why are some fruitlets stronger than others?

If everything has been perfect for the tree during the previous three years then we expect to see bunches of five fruitlets all containing a good full core of  evenly distributed pips. The main concern in these enviable situations is the matter of thinning most of the fruitlets off the tree!

Never mind the last three years. Just casting our mind back through the last twelve months and a list of challenges for the tree soon mounts up.

Although we have seen some rain during May , this has not replenished the desperately low water table of the last six months and from which the trees have not been able to draw on during late winter into Spring – especially the semi dwarfing rootstocks with more shallow root systems. Trees which cropped last season struggled through the drought and high summer temperatures which, in the ‘normal’ way would have recharged their batteries ready for blossom time in May 2019.

February brought some two weeks of very warm sunny weather. Good for half term school holidays but bad news for struggling trees. Bud break came early – which revealed that many trees were, as we suspected, under stress. Leaf growth was slow and not as lush as usual to protect emerging flower buds, although still tightly folded together. Leaves and buds, both under moisture stress, slowly developed through a dry March until a wake up shock on the morning of 4th April. A sharp frost, which, judging by the black tracks in our neighbours grass following a burglary, was enough to pinch out the still tight flower buds of apple in particular.

Chilly winds during blossom time also influence poor fruit development. Remember too, that during blossom time any fruiting  tree or bush needs plenty of available moisture. ‘ A Moisture Sensitive Period.’ April was very dry throughout – likewise the beginning of May.

Presently we can see that those trees immediately sheltered from the North are carrying some fruit. Some of our oldest Cox trees planted in 1959 on a stronger stock will justify their space. Favourite varieties like Laxton’s Fortune, Kidd’s Orange Red and Sunset look to be very few.

Remember, that the stresses the trees are under now will be reflected in their performance in 2021 and 2022.

We should have apples and plums beginning in August!

20mm rain each week during June and July will help .

Although the bridge over the Roman River has been completed, we will shortly be isolated from the A12, again, as long term work on a railway bridge begins in earnest the last week of July, closing the road until early November.