Bridget popped up to the orchard yesterday to see how things
are. The temperature was 19 degrees at midday but it felt cooler than that as
it was cloudy and breezy. Many thanks to those of you that have been weeding
the soft fruit bed, cutting the paths through the grass and varnishing the
wooden signs. It all looks lovely.
Much
of the blossom has gone now but the quince blossom (see top photo) looks lovely hidden in the
dip at the far end of the orchard. The hawthorn bushes are covered with May
blossom and the elder trees in the shelter belt have started to flower too. The
espaliers are all doing well and even the Court Pendu Plat now has leaves!
Some of the trees suffered frost damage from the
other night but we’re sure they will recover. We think we have lost most of the
cherry fruitlets though, and some gooseberries, but the bushes still have a lot
of healthy fruit growing so we should be ok for a good harvest. The red, white
and blackcurrants are all doing well and more rhubarb will be ready for
harvesting soon.
It does look like we have problems with some of
the trees. The
3 pear trees all seem to have pear leaf blister mite. The books say that
this should not affect the harvest significantly but we should treat the
trees against this mite in the winter
The
damson has an infestation of aphids but I don’t think this will cause any
real problem as it’s growing well.
Something
seems to be eating leaves on a few of the trees – in particular the
original Egremont Russet and the Victoria plum. Bridget didn’t see anything
obvious but we have some lacy looking leaves! Some
trees have some kind of a powdery mildew on the leaves, including the Lord
Lambourne and particularly the Ribston Pippin which looks a bit sickly
unfortunately.
The wild flowers are springing up all over the field – lots of
buttercups, Jacobs Ladder, cow parsley, purple clover, vetch and meadow
saxifrage. It is especially pleasing to see lots of Yellow Rattle again
which has started to flower. It is noticeable that the grass is much
shorter in the areas where Yellow Rattle is growing, which was one of the
reasons we chose to sow it.
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