Posted in Fruit Questions on September 16, 2011| 2 Comments »
I have a family apple tree (three sorts) I have been told one is a Cox cross, and the other is Falstaf. The third could be a Bramley cross.
This year I have had a bit of codling moth damage. So what is the best defence to control the little blighters, and when do I start the battle.
Shirley Baker
Posted in Fruit Questions on September 16, 2011| Leave a Comment »
South East Essex Organic Gardeners are looking for a short film/video on English orchards in connection with our forthcoming combined Apple Weekend in Southend-on-Sea in October.
Can anyone please suggest a source?
Carole Shorney
Posted in News on September 11, 2011| 1 Comment »
May I alert Fruit Forum readers to the obvious observation about this year’s fruit harvest ~ it is around 2 weeks earlier than normal!
Those growing crops in their garden will need to be alert to this fact, and not pick ‘at the usual diary date’ (if they do fruit will probably not keep too well in the home store).
Now is the time to select the best fruit for home storage. My family gave me our last second hand fridge, now in garage, and it is now being stuffed full of the 2011 harvest, with more to come over the next 7-10 days. Running it at around 3-4 degrees C I am able to store varieties until Jan/Feb, and some longer if they are not eaten by then! There is no doubt that fruit flavours do improve with 4-6 weeks of storage. I can keep Pinova for months in this amateur ‘coldstore’.
Malcolm Withnall
Posted in Fruit Questions on September 11, 2011| 6 Comments »
Conference pear
Please can anyone suggest how to successfully ripen Conference pears? The pears have reached considerable size on the tree, but are as ‘hard as bullets’.
So far I have had suggestions of picking them all, and placing bananas amongst them(?), and just leaving them on the tree. Will the tree be OK if they are left, as they are hanging low under the weight?
Nick Swift
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