How long have your apples been keeping in store this winter? Our Bramley cooking apples have stored well up to now, possibly because we have had a very cold winter.
apple-in-March
This box has been kept on the concrete floor of a north facing porch. I am surprised they did not get frosted. It is almost the end of March, we are getting a few rots, but the majority of apples are in perfect condition.
apple-storage-box
It is important to check the box regularly and to pull out any apples showing signs of deterioration. We put them on the bird table.
bird-feeder
These apples have not been checked for a few weeks – and the rots have progressed in some apples:
rotten-apple
rotting-apple
The main causes of apple problems are:
- bruises – always handle apples gently – never drop them into the box
- contact with disease (bad bits) on another apple – remove any apple with brown spots
The length of time apples will store depends on variety. Our Bramley cooking apples have kept for 6 months, but we are starting to cook & freeze some now, as the apples will go off as the temperature rises in spring.
How long have your apples kept in store?
There is still time to plant fruit trees.
pears-to-pick
The planting season is in their dormant season, any time during the winter and early Spring months.
- Bare root fruit trees should be planted out when they are dormant – from late October until February or early March. November & December are the best months as it gives the fruit trees time to settle in before the growing season.
- Pot grown fruit trees can be planted out almost anytime, as long as they are watered well & looked after for a good couple of years after planting
Victoria-plum-tree
Growing fresh fruit gives lasting rewards! Fruit trees yield fruit year after year! Fruit is easy to store and contributes to a healthy diet
Fruit trees can be grown in a variety of places, and there are varieties for small spaces. Places to grow fruit trees include:
- vegetable garden
- flower garden
- allotment
- patio
- decking
- balcony
medlar
Click this link to buy some fruit trees whilst there is still time to plant them.
- grown only in Britain
- stores well – ours are keeping particularly well this year
- the best apple for cooking
- versatile – good with pork as apple sauce, or with brambles as a pudding. We are enjoying stewed Bramleys with porridge during this cold snap!
Nutritional Value of Bramley apples
Bramley apples contain:
- antioxidants, including polyphenols,
- flavonoids
- vitamins C & A
- potassium, calcium & iron
- fibre
Bramley Apple Week 2010 is a reminder that an apple a day is the road to good health.
tayberries
Olivia is wanting commercial growers of tayberries:
Hi, Looking for commercial grower(s) of Tayberries. Trying to source large quantity for expanding jam producer. Long term requirement. Initially around 2 tonnes then increasing. May be interested in discussing contract to grow for future season.
Any suggestions? Please contact us & we will pass the info on to Olivia. Thanks.
TopVeg replied:
Hi Olivia
Thanks for contacting TopVeg. Tayberries were first raised at the Scottish Crop Research Institute, near Dundee.- and I think you would be more likely to find commercial growers in Scotland, & there are several in Angus. I have found this link http://www.berryscotland.com/farmshops.htm.
In June last year, TopVeg had a message from Alaistair, who grows tayberries in Kent & was trying to set up a network of growers.
Hope that helps
The strawberry variety Flamenco is ideal for gardeners who are short of space, or use containers, as it produces lots of sweet, juicy strawberries over a long period.
Strawberry-present
Strawberry Flamenco
- fruits June to November – but peak harvest is September
- extend growing season with polytunnel
- ideal for containers on patio
Click this link to buy some Strawberry Flamenco plants, which can be planted out in the vegetable garden or grown in pots & containers on the patio.
Fresh, homegrown Blueberries are possible! Blueberries are superfruits with special health giving benefits. They can be grown in the ground or in containers, on the patio, & will make a great gift or Christmas present for the gardener who has everything!
Click this link to buy a blueberry plant.
blueberry
Soil for blueberries should be:
- acidic
- sandy
- well irrigated
Nutritional value of blueberries:
- high in fibre
- calcium
- vitamins A and C
- more antioxidants than many other fruits and vegetables
Blueberry bushes:
- make an attractive low growing bush
- grow to about 180cm (6 feet) tall, depending on variety.
- some varieties require another variety for pollination.
- have ripe fruit from late July into August.
- will fruit 1 year after planting.
- ideal for growing on the patio in a large container filled with ericaceous compost.
- are covered in masses of sweetly scented creamy white flowers in the Spring.
- have leaves which change to an delightful crimson colour in Autumn.
Health giving properties of Blueberries:
- the highest antioxidant activity of any fruit
- improve night vision
- help halt the ageing process
- improve memory loss
- improve balance and co-ordination.
Click this link to buy blueberries.
Cupid is a great variety of strawberry to grow in the garden or in containers.
cupid strawberry
Cupid strawberry is:
- a June-fruiting strawberry
- earlier if grown in a greenhouse or polytunnel
- juicy
- well flavoured
- rain tolerant
- disease resistant
- suitable for growing in containers
Click the link below for more details of this book about growing fruit.
Click this link to buy some Cupid Strawberry plants.
Now is the time to plant raspberry canes & Thompson & Morgan have raspberry canes on offer – 12 Glen Ample canes for £19.99 - a saving of £6.99.
GlenAmpleRaspberries
Glen Ample Raspberry Canes:
- fruit in midseason
- high yielding
- large, juicy berries
- spineless canes
The site to plant Raspberry Canes should be:
- sheltered
- sunny or semi-shaded
- well drained
- fertile – with plenty of compost or well rotted farmyard manure applied in the autumn
- not heavy clay
Raspberry Canes are planted:
- Directly into the soil in rows 38cm (15in) apart, leaving 1.8m (6ft) between. Put a good layer of mulch on the rows once the raspberry canes have been planted.
- or
- In containers - three to a 30cm (12in) pot, using 50:50 John Innes No 3 and multi-purpose potting compost.
It is very important to buy raspberry canes from a reputable supplier. The canes must be certified free of viruses. If you accept canes from a friend or neighbour you will be heading for trouble!
Click this link to buy certified canes from Thompson & Morgan.
Late autumn, now, is an ideal time to plant raspberry canes; they will have plenty of time to get established and will fruit with juicy raspberries next summer.
The time to divide or move rhubarb is in the autumn or spring.
rhubarb-patch-oct27
rhubarb-bed-autumn
- dig up the crowns (the fleshy rhizomes and buds)
rhubarb-crown
- discard old or damaged parts of the crown
- use healthy bits of crown with 2-3 good buds on them
rhizomes-&-buds
- prepare the ground with plenty of well rotted farmyard manure or compost ( rhubarb is very greedy)
- mulch the rhubarb crowns once planted
- be gentle with the young rhubarb plants in the first year, better not to force them, or to pull too many stalks
- therefore best to lift & divide a small section of the rhubarb bed each year, so there are always some older plants to force and use.
rhubarb-in-March
This book from Amazon has some good rhubarb recipes!
Now is a good time to divide or move rhubarb, but if time is short, spring will do.
