The English Apple Man managed to overcome the debilitating back pain which has been plaguing my body for more than a week.
Sadly I missed the announcement of the Thanet Earth Discovery Fellowship Award 2013. Held at Hadlow College this award is a cherished opportunity for degree students to gain work experience in one of the 'state of the art' horticultural production facilities in the UK.
A report will be included in next week's Journal.
At this time of year various orchard walks are organised by grower groups; the desire is to pick a date when the trees will be in full blossom.
ALAS, that rarely happens; The BIFGA Spring Walk held at HOWT Green Farm, at Bobbing near The Isle of Sheppy on Wednesday was the first of several walks planned for the next few weeks.
The apple bud has moved steadily this week, from last Friday's mouse ear stage to green cluster. Looking at the long term forecast, my prediction (well hunch) for apple blossom made in the Journal for 5th April was Full Bloom during the week 7th May - 14th May;
GOSH, that is just two weeks away; but will it happen?
I have been watching my 'potted' family tree this week, (Discovery, Red Devil & James Grieve) the sunshine and sheltered position + the potted soil which will be warming faster than the soil in my garden has accelerated the bud development.
Last Friday it was clearly at the 'mouse ear' stage, by Wednesday most buds were at 'green cluster' and now; Friday 26th it is, well, pretty similar to Wednesday; Green Cluster.
On Monday, Francis Wheatley - Technologist at Chingford Fruit Growers sent me comparison pictures of the Concept Conference Orchard at East Malling Research. These pictures illustrate perfectly the seasonal difference between 2012 and 2013.
BELOW LEFT: Concept Conference on 20th April 2012.
ABOVE RIGHT: Same Concept Conference Orchard at East Malling Research on 18th April 2013.
BIFGA MEMBERS 'SPRING WALK' @ HOWT FARM, BOBBING
On Wednesday evening a large number of BIFGA members visited A.C. Goatham's HOWT Farm at Bobbing near IWADE in North Kent.
Once again; Congratulatons to John Breach and his BIFGA committee for organising another inspiring visit. HOWT Green Farm is one of Clive Goatham's very progressive farms in North Kent. Clive and his team took over HOWT farm in the spring of 2008 and immediately set about an extensive replanting programme; talking to Ross Goatham, Clive's son and an integral member of the A.C.Goatham management team, I learnt that they were 'primed and ready' to plant 50 acres of Breaburn as soon as the farm purchase was competed.
TV viewers watching BBC South East last night (Thursday 25th April) will have seen Clive Baxter who farms at Hunton on the southern edge of Maidstone; Clive was seen in his orchards of Plums, Pears and Apples, and he told us that now things are warming up the the plums and pears which naturally blossom ahead of apples, are finally on the move, albeit 2 weeks late, and Clive suggests that we may find Plums, Pears and Apples all carrying bloom at the same time, 'not necessarily in full bloom at the same time' but a continuum of overlapping blossom, which he said is in his memory unprecedented.
On Wednesday, the bud development at HOWT Green indicated most apples at the Green Cluster stage.
These Pears are on the move and at the White Bud stage (same as Pink Bud in apples) so it only needs some more warm days and the pears will be in bloom!
.jpg "Conference Pears at White Bud stage.")
The standard of tree management at HOWT Green Farm is very high; these Braeburn pictured below are so uniform in every aspect.
The SAY NO TO DRIFT campaign
Controlling pests and respecting the environment is an ongoing challenge for fruit growers, agronomists and technologists as the balance between efficacy of control and the concern for the environment tests the best brains in the business.
One of the most valuable pesticides over the last 2-3 decades in a growers armoury is Chlorpyrifos. This pesticide is so important in the control of Rosy Apple Aphid, Codling Moth and Tortrix Moth damage, Blossom Weevil, Mussel Scale, and Woolly Aphid on Apple Crops.
BUT, it raises concerns with environmentalists and Supermarkets have sought either a reduction in use or in some cases (individual retailers) an attempt to ban it completely.
If the industry loses this means of controlling the devastating effect of these pests, it will be difficult to combat the aforesaid pest in the future.
Much work has been done to reduce the use of Chlorpyrifos and by using intelligent procedures, a reduction in the number of applications has been successful. However, if the fruit delivered into Supermarkets is subject to high visual standards (specifications) it is always going to be difficult to achieve without the use of this 'weapon' in our armoury.
Avoiding drift is a positive measure as we strive to control the pests in the tree canopy without risking pesticide intrusion on adjacent environments. e.g. streams.
New application guidelines for fruit have been produced by the 3 major approval holders for chlorpyrifos products in the UK. The uptake of low drift nozzles and increased buffer zones will be monitored by The Pesticide Usage Group.
The key to achieving SAY NO TO DRIFT requires LOW DRIFT nozzles and an extension of the NO SPRAY - BUFFER ZONE.
The recommended nozzles are; ALBUZ TVI nozzles, mounted on an Axial Fan or Tower Sprayer and a no spray buffer zone of 50 metres if the environmental issue is a stream. 5 metres if the environmental issue is a dry zone; e.g a habitat like a wood or similar environmentally important feature..
Demonstrating the efficacy of the TVI low drift nozzles mounted on a tower sprayer v conventional nozzles on another sprayer, the demonstration team place marker poles within the row being sprayed and in adjacent rows; by monitoring the distance the spray drift travels, gives technical support for the recommended procedures.
On each marker pole, 4 pads with moisture indicative paper which turns to blue when a drop of moisture lands on it. This creates a clear picture of the distance spray may travel.
LERAP = LOCAL ENVIRONMENT RISK ASSESSMENT FOR PESTICIDES.
CHERRIES are another important crop for A.C.Goatham and this mix of modern varieties; Lapins, Sweetheart, Colney, Penny and more..........
BELOW: This new Braeburn Orchard was planted this winter; 2012/13
Our visit to A.C.Goatham's HOWT Green Farm was very enjoyable; the orchards very well maintained are a credit to the management skills of the Goatham Team. This farm was one I visited regularly in my working life and has always been very well maintained by the previous owner. However the new regime has definitely taken the farm to another level.
The SAY NO TO DRIFT demonstration was a very useful opportunity for growers to understand the mechanics of low drift procedures, with an enthusiastic demonstration team from DOW Chemicals.
Following the orchard walk and the NO DRIFT demo; BIFGA had organised 3 presentations by the evenings SPONSORS.
As they were very detailed, I intend to leave my report until another week.
FOOTNOTE: 
Looking forward, we expect the weather to be a mix of sunshine and showers, with temperatures in the low teens next week. The indication is for warmer weather the following week. This fits nicely into my prediction for apple blossom time in the 2nd week of May.
7th May - 14th May.
If I am right, Cup Final weekend will be very pretty!
Manchester City v Wigan - Saturday 11th May.
Take care
The English Apple Man