The next exciting episode of our sporting summer is under way; the Paralympics is already winning the hearts and minds of Great Britain, just as the XXX Olympiad enthralled the nation just 3 weeks ago!
The inclusion of the Apple as a centre piece recognising Isaac Newton's importance in our history, and the Gala apple given to each member of the 62,000 audience is a poignant gesture as we approach our new apple season.
September morn'
On the eve of a September morning, and with our English Apple season about to get fully under way, The English Apple Man has been out and about catching up with events in the orchards.
While there are some Discovery (Organic) still in the retail system, generally Discovery has picked light and with considerable cracking many growers have decided to pick it purely for juice as the cost of grading was not considered worthwhile. This raises an interesting element to this season with a general shortage of apples across the Northern Hemisphere, processing values are higher than any grower can remember.
The shortage of Bramley in Ireland, where canning is still a major industry is driving prices to unprecedented levels, and Juice prices this year will also be influenced by the processing value, although after the poor summer, Cider companies have I am told, stocks in reserve.
Looking around second early varieties, Delbard Estivale & Worcester Pearmain are set to appear in small quantities, although a steady supply of these varieties may be 7-10 days away. Certainly Estivale will appear in M&S and Waitrose next week.
The EAM bought some Worcester Pearmain in Jempsons in Battle this week (grown in East Sussex) but although carrying good red colour, the eating quality is poor; dense texture with little juice or flavour - picked too early?
Galmac touted as a replacement for Discovery will appear in very limited quantities in M&S while Zari, potentially on stream to take a lasting share of the early/second early market, is already appearing in limited quantities. Sadly yields are well below the excellent crops of 2011.
Early Windsor will probably not be appearing until the second week of September.
Looking a bit further ahead, the mainstream apple varieties; Cox & Gala, are someway off. Bramley apples & Conference pears for long term storage are on target for the first and second weeks of September respectively.
Advisors are carrying out tests on samples for starch levels, pressures, background colour and sugars. These are indicators for determining harvest dates.
For a detailed review of assessment procedures, visit The English Apple Man Journal for 4th September 2009.
This year Cox harvest is expected to be around mid September and Gala during the last week of September. The Quality Fruit Group (QFG) assess samples weekly as anticipated harvest gets closer and using tried and tested data will advise growers of the regional picking windows.
After the many challenges this season has thrust upon growers, late Scab infections, which can spread in store and late outbreaks of Codling and Tortrix moth laying eggs, add yet more risks of damage to the quality of harvested fruit.
High on the radar this season is Nectria infection. (Nectria galligena or Canker to use its common name) enters the fruit as it changes from a flower into a young fruitlet. The nectria infection tends to hide from view until later in the summer, when the first sign is a premature patch of red colour around the calyx. In a season like 2012 with so much wet weather, if nectria (Canker) is present in the orchard on branches, it will find its way into the developing fruitlet.
The Quality Fruit Group (QFG) reported comments by Dr. Angela Berrie of East Malling Research (EMR) who said that there is a very high risk of rots in store this year due to the prolonged wet periods during flowering and again in June and July. In the West Midlands more wet weather has occurred recently as well adding to the risk. Several rots start as latent infections which are invisible at harvest but can cause significant losses during storage.
It is not just Nectria rots, cracks caused by cold weather during fruitlet development and bird pecks will develop brown rot very quickly in the wet conditions prevalent this summer.
Removing the high level of Nectria affected apples this year has been a major part of the quality thinning which is standard practice on all farms during July/August as growers try to ensure the fruit picked at harvest has as few quality issues as possible. Trying to pick efficiently and sort out any substandard fruit is a 'costly' and 'time consuming' task.
Any nectria infected fruit which is missed at harvest will rot in store, and cause adjacent good quality fruit to rot as well.
For an in depth understanding of NECTRIA, visit The HDC Best Practice Guide
In the pictures below, apples infected with visible Nectria around the calyx end and showing the rot developing inside the cut fruit.
The cold weather when the young fruitlets were forming can cause damage to the cell structure, and as the apple develops, cracks appear. Often we can be caught out as outwardly the fruit quality may look magnificent, but hiding out of sight the 'perfect apple' hides a nasty surprise.
The Cox apple below looks superb, but hidden in the stalk cavity is a series of cracks. At picking time this apple will either be discarded, or if missed by the picker will enter the bin and subsequently rot and cause more fruit losses in store.
The problems do not end there; Hail has caused a few problems this season; not as bad as in some years, but nevertheless disheartening when it strikes. From observing hail damaged fruit in late July where the damage seemed to be minor, the hope was that it would at the very least be acceptable in Supermarket 'Value Packs' but from my experience, hail damage nearly always 'gets worse' an example of this is shown in the two pictures. One was taken on July 10th of hail damage on my 'family apple tree' and shows Red Devil with assorted hail marks as small indentations. The second was taken today (August 31st) of the same apples.
After the challenges facing growers, and putting things into context, let's return to the far greater challenges facing the very brave and resourceful Paralympic Athletes.
GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE ATHLETES COMPETING!
Next week The Gala Club hold their Annual pre-season get together, and The EAM will be there and reporting matters of interest in next week's Journal!
Take care
The English Apple Man