My 9-year old greengage tree produced its first good crop of fruit this year, but now more than half the fruit has split and rotted on the tree. Any idea why?
Peter McFadden
Archive for July, 2007
Why are my Greengages Splitting?
Posted in Fruit Questions on July 29, 2007 | 2 Comments »
The Year of the Slug
Posted in Articles on July 25, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
On my plot, 2007 must be the year of the slug – black ones, grey ones, and enormous great brown ones three to four inches long. If you grow asparagus the slug season starts in April. The tender spears are attacked by black keel slugs which live in the ground over the crowns. As [...]
Brogdale Site for National Fruit Collections Secure to 2041
Posted in Brogdale, National Fruit Collections, News on July 16, 2007 | 1 Comment »
Much has been said about the decision of Lord Rooker to move the National Fruit Collections from their present site. Lord Rooker has now written to Jim Streeton saying:
The Brogdale Horticultural Trust maintain the Collection on behalf of Defra, who actually own the Collection. The Trust cannot move the Collection since they do not own [...]
Novel Caterpillars – any comments and suggestions?
Posted in Fruit Questions on July 16, 2007 | 1 Comment »
A few days ago I found a very hairy caterpillar on one of my Autumn Bliss plants, seemingly having chewed into one or two leaves. I identified it as from the Vapourer Moth, Orgyia antiqua, which does not seem to be usually associated with raspberries. I put it in a petri dish for observation, [...]
Moving the National Fruit Collections?
Posted in Brogdale, National Fruit Collections, News on July 13, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
I was very concerned that the future of the Collections may have been compromised by premature decisions taken by Defra officials. I therefore wrote to my MP (Bill Wiggin) who wrote to Lord Rooker seeking assurance that there had been no prior decision taken to move the Collections before the tendering process was initiated.
The [...]
Defra Funding to Brogdale Horticultural Trust
Posted in Brogdale, National Fruit Collections, News on July 4, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Simon Barley writes with the following comment:
Have written to Jeff Rooker and to my MP with my concerns that the status and functions of the Collections are threatened by the proposed moves (?already decided upon). If it is a matter of making the Brogdale Collections financially secure (and one must ask how the present [...]
