On Monday, July 14, 2014 10:40:24 AM UTC+1, Jeff Layman wrote:
On 13/07/2014 18:29, philgurr wrote:

"Jeff Layman" wrote in message

...

On 13/07/2014 09:12, 'Mike' wrote:

http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/news/apri...ard-61727.aspx



or is it just the Isle of Wight?



It probably is more likely to have the correct growing conditions than other places.

http://www.orangepippintrees.co.uk/apricot-trees



The Victorians grew apricots abundantly in their walled

gardens and I have grown them in a similar situation in

Northamptonshire. I now grow them under glass in the

north of Scotland and have just started picking them.

British grown apricots are far superior to those bought

in supermarkets. They are generaly larger, jucier and

sweeter and because they take longer to mature, they

have a much better flavour.



But this situation is different. It refers to 4500 trees growing in a

22 acre orchard, neither in a walled garden nor under glass. That must

be pretty unique for apricots in the UK, and I doubt that there are many

other situations in the country where the conditions are similar - few

late frosts to damage the blossom and long hours of sunshine to ripen

the fruit.



Interestingly, the article does refer to his being among "the first in

the country". I wonder where the others are?



--



Jeff

There are new varieties that flower later. Traditionally they flower in February and don't get enough pollinators and risk frost. In our last house we only had one crop in 18 years. When we moved here, Warwickshire, we planted one of the new varieties and we get a good crop of very juicy apricots the size of peaches every year. They should be ready in a couple of weeks. It is against a wall though.

Jonathan