We are fruitaholics

We have to admit that we are fruitaholics. As well as the masses of fruits that we grow on the allotment we also have some fruit growing in the garden.

Some is intentionally and some are just happy bonuses.

The newcomers

I’ve already mentioned our success with nectarines/peaches. Half a dozen fruits may not rate as a success for some but for us it was fantastic. The tree was kept in a pot in the garden as we wanted to cosset it and also such fruit grown on the plot would be likely to attract unwelcome attention.

We also have a few strawberry plants - Finesses growing in a tub. These really ended up in the garden as we had set out the new strawberry bed when our main strawberry order arrived and so when Finesse arrived the plants were homeless. The idea of a few in the garden was appealing and so they stayed.

The kiwi Issai that was also planted in a tub in the garden doesn’t really seem very happy. It was off to a great start and has produced lots of fruit but these just aren’t getting any larger. It hasn’t had idea conditions this year but we are also wondering whether it is happy growing in a pot.

The long standing residents

We’ve had a grapevine - Himrod - that has lived in our greenhouse for years. There was a point where it took over completely and had to be severely put in it’s place. Now it is subject to hard pruning every year. It doesn’t hold this against us and produces masses of small seedless sweet green grapes every year. After pruning it is left to just get on with it except for a little cutting back once bunches of fruit have set.

Behind our greenhouse are a couple of apple trees and a pear tree. These are not really trees in the true sense more delinquent cordons. They shouldn’t really be there as we cut down all our cordon trees years ago when we just couldn’t control the woolly aphids that infested them each year. The roots were difficult to remove and so were left and new growth just cut back until it eventually gave up trying. These three, however, just sneakily continued to grow behind the greenhouse until one day we noticed that they were loaded with fruit. 

We know the pear is a Conference and that one of the apples is a Bramley but are unsure what the other apple is - maybe Peasgood Nonsuch. 

We sort of remember which trees we planted but not really where each one was. One thing I am sure of is that they produce fantastic apples.

There are grapes growing on one of the vines planted outdoors on the plot but these are still currant sized even though the photo makes them look fairly mature I doubt whether any will swell and ripen and be fit for picking. Well there's always another year!