I've written about our disappointments and our anticipation with regards to this year's potential fruit crop but wanting to end on a high, we have some certain successes. (Well as certain as you can be in gardening terms).
Much of the soft fruit has set lots of fruit so hopefully this will make up for any possible failures.
Our jostaberries and gooseberries are loaded.
The currants all have plenty of fruit.
The redcurrants are just beginning to colour and so it was time to get some netting over them. A blackbird watched me and chortled its disgust. Failure to net would mean that the blackbirds would quickly strip the bushes. As it is they will try their utmost to find a way under the netting and so care needs to be taken to close any gaps. This is as much for the blackbirds safety as to protect the fruit as birds can get trapped under the netting. Also we use chicken wire around the base on the 'frame' so that it is less likely that birds will become entangled trying to reach the fruit. The top netting is the stiff butterfly type netting with very small gaps - again this is to try and cut down the chances of bird entanglement. As it is the birds will sit on top of the netting to weigh it down so they can reach the topmost berries. We tolerate this and will remove the netting completely so the birds can feast once we have had all that we want.
Of the four blueberry bushes the amount of fruit or lack of it is variable but some berries have set. The fruitlets are a very strange shape.
The tayberry and the thornless blackberry are both flowering and the bees are doing what they can to create a good crop.
The Glencoe raspberry has lots of flower buds so hopefully this will make up a little for the certain poor crop from the bare summer raspberry canes.
Hopefully the autumn fruiting raspberries will do well. I have carried out the first thinning out of these canes but there may need to be another thinning out session later.
On our latest plot visit I noticed that some apples had set on all but the Bramley. The quince had one or two fruitlets so we are hoping for more and the cherries may just have a few more fruits than we initially thought
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I don't think you will be short of fruit! This year I am going to be a bit more organized about protecting my fruit from the birds. Last year I left it too late. Yesterday I had to free a Dunnock which had found its way inside the netting over my Broad Beans (which is to deter foxes and badgers, not birds!). The birds always seem to find it easier to get in than to get out of these structures.
ReplyDeleteThe trouble with netting on the plot, Mark is we aren't always around to free trapped birds. Although I don't suppose you are either.
DeleteI didn't realise that jostaberries were so like gooseberries. My strawberries seem to be flowering well considering it's their first year, and there's some fruit there already. Any sort of harvest will be most welcome.
ReplyDeleteThey are smaller and grow in clusters rather than as individuals, Jo
DeleteJealous, jealous, jealous. They are all developing really well aren't they? Having all those strawberry plants must be lovely!
ReplyDeleteIt will be if all those fruits go on to ripen, Liz
DeleteWOW ! What a bumper crop. I hope we are not too late to net our fruit. We keep our four cats indoors at night so some rats managed to eat all of our Strawberries last year. Our puppy chewed off the Raspberry canes. With a new dog proof kitchen Garden this year we are hoping for a more fruitful year. Take care. Marion
ReplyDeleteWelcome Marion, you should have time to net your fruit - we could have probably given it another week. Strawberry eating rats - nightmare!
DeleteI plan to encircle the gooseberry bushes in my garden in a similar way,using some of the left over allotment fence netting with a piece of stiff plastic netting over the top.
ReplyDeleteMy blueberries and jostaberries are new plants and will probably be left for the birds to feed on this year.
Last year I had some strawberry plants "parked" in my garden and they were devoured by blackbirds and a strawberry eating rat!
I've netted them well now that they are planted on the allotment but will have to wait and see if something decides to gnaw through the netting.
Birds tend to leave our gooseberries and jostaberries alone, David. Must admit I don't like the sound of a strawberry eating rat!
DeleteIt's so nice to see such a lovely array of fruits growing. I must say though I'm getting a little impatient waiting to harvest!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean Tanya and now they are telling us that the jet stream has been up to its tricks again
DeleteOh goodness, it's really going well isn't it! Those strawberries and gooseberries look amazing. You'll have many a pie, crumble and jars of jam from that little lot! Rather jealous her!Yes!!!xxxx
ReplyDeleteNo jam making for us Snowbird but hopefully lots of lovely compote, pies and crumbles.
DeleteYou certainly have a range of fruit,it must take ages for you to pick it all
ReplyDeleteIt is quite a job Flowerlady which hopefully cutting down on the weeding will leave us more time for.
DeleteLooks like you will have to set up a fruit stall at the farmers market this year.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry Elaine we will have no problem using it all. :)
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