Robert writes

"Trefor Jones" wrote in message
...
: Had a good crop of gooseberries this year despite (or because?) of the
late
: spring. Last year I only had lbs. from the three bushes but this year had
: 12lbs. Many of the berries were smaller than usual though. Did not keep a
: note of previous years but I am sure it was about the 5 to 6lb mark. A
: friend who lives in Alloway, however, said that he had a worse crop this
: year compared to last year.
:

Massive crop here in Plymouth too. In fact this could be the best all round
cropping year in my thirty odd years of allotment gardening. Crops have been
wonderful. Mind you we have no water shortage here and can water daily with
a hose. No blight yet for the first year in recent memory. Pouring down this
afternoon so that is very welcome as long as the blight stays away

I've had a very good crop of loganberries and strawberries. Gooseberries
middling, and rather small - that much later and lack of water beginning
to kick in. Apples are a good crop, but as yet they're only golf ball
size. But I think they've got their roots well down so they should be
OK. Mulberry is doing very well.

Where I can really see the effect of the dry soil is in the autumn
berries - a very poor set on holly and pernettya. I think there may well
be a lot of birds heavily dependent on bird tables this winter.
--
Kay