On 22/07/2014 16:42, Spider wrote:
On 22/07/2014 12:18, Jeff Layman wrote:
Just heard on the local news that loquats are fruiting for the first
time at Abbotsbury. So just a bit more global warming and there's hope
for us yet!

Thanks, Jeff! That's interesting. This year isn't our first for a
crop, as it happens, but the tree certainly doesn't crop annually. The
flowers appear in autumn and set before winter, usually, so they have to
persist for quite a long time before they swell and ripen. I daresay
there are years when the winter is too cold. The flowers have a lovely
scent, too.

I would guess that Abbotsbury is slightly milder than SE London, but
doesn't get so hot in summer, so I'm not surprised that your loquat has
fruited. London is well known for having a "heat island" climate, but
Abbotsbury is far more unlikely to have a frost than London, so I guess
there are swings and roundabouts. But a mild winter and hot summer are
both required for any decent fruit to appear. How big is your plant?

--

Jeff