Following on from the recent thread of apricot growing on the IOW....

There was a short article on "Farming Today" this morning, with an
interview of a commercial grower of apricots in Kent. He expects to get
around 15 tons this year and wants to increase this to 200 tons. When
asked if he knew of any other growers, he said he thought that there
were a couple in the West Midlands, but didn't mention the IOW.

So it looks like it may be worth investigating apricots for a garden
crop, even if you don't have a warm wall to grow them against.

--

Jeff

"Jeff Layman" wrote ...

Following on from the recent thread of apricot growing on the IOW....

There was a short article on "Farming Today" this morning, with an
interview of a commercial grower of apricots in Kent. He expects to get
around 15 tons this year and wants to increase this to 200 tons. When asked
if he knew of any other growers, he said he thought that there were a
couple in the West Midlands, but didn't mention the IOW.

So it looks like it may be worth investigating apricots for a garden crop,
even if you don't have a warm wall to grow them against.


Only if you don't suffer from late frosts because that is what stops them
cropping, damages the flowers and no insects to pollinate.
We had a beautiful one on our allotments, not my plot unfortunately, but it
cropped so profusely that one year it split itself in half and the Council
took it out.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On 25/07/2014 11:10, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Jeff Layman" wrote ...

Following on from the recent thread of apricot growing on the IOW....

There was a short article on "Farming Today" this morning, with an
interview of a commercial grower of apricots in Kent. He expects to
get around 15 tons this year and wants to increase this to 200 tons.
When asked if he knew of any other growers, he said he thought that
there were a couple in the West Midlands, but didn't mention the IOW.

So it looks like it may be worth investigating apricots for a garden
crop, even if you don't have a warm wall to grow them against.


Only if you don't suffer from late frosts because that is what stops
them cropping, damages the flowers and no insects to pollinate.
We had a beautiful one on our allotments, not my plot unfortunately, but
it cropped so profusely that one year it split itself in half and the
Council took it out.


Just wondering if Bullfinches go for the buds?

On 25/07/2014 11:10, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Jeff Layman" wrote ...

Following on from the recent thread of apricot growing on the IOW....

There was a short article on "Farming Today" this morning, with an
interview of a commercial grower of apricots in Kent. He expects to get
around 15 tons this year and wants to increase this to 200 tons. When asked
if he knew of any other growers, he said he thought that there were a
couple in the West Midlands, but didn't mention the IOW.

So it looks like it may be worth investigating apricots for a garden crop,
even if you don't have a warm wall to grow them against.


Only if you don't suffer from late frosts because that is what stops them
cropping, damages the flowers and no insects to pollinate.
We had a beautiful one on our allotments, not my plot unfortunately, but it
cropped so profusely that one year it split itself in half and the Council
took it out.

Looks like milder winters and later springs are the answer:
http://thefoodpeople.co.uk/news/hist...stry-starts-up

--

Jeff

In article ,
Jeff Layman wrote:
On 25/07/2014 11:10, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Jeff Layman" wrote ...

Following on from the recent thread of apricot growing on the IOW....

There was a short article on "Farming Today" this morning, with an
interview of a commercial grower of apricots in Kent. He expects to get
around 15 tons this year and wants to increase this to 200 tons. When asked
if he knew of any other growers, he said he thought that there were a
couple in the West Midlands, but didn't mention the IOW.

So it looks like it may be worth investigating apricots for a garden crop,
even if you don't have a warm wall to grow them against.


Only if you don't suffer from late frosts because that is what stops them
cropping, damages the flowers and no insects to pollinate.
We had a beautiful one on our allotments, not my plot unfortunately, but it
cropped so profusely that one year it split itself in half and the Council
took it out.

Looks like milder winters and later springs are the answer:
http://thefoodpeople.co.uk/news/hist...stry-starts-up

Well, sort-of. It's not that simple. Very little set on my peach
this year, because the direly long and wet winter meant that there
were essentially no insects around when it flowered. Apricots do,
too.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.