In the space of two weeks, the long cold spring erupted into a stunning display of blossom on plums, pears, cherries and apples.........and ornamentals of many species...........this week its been a mixed bag, with Monday atrociously wet and very cold.......but the week is ending warmer with prospects for the Bank Holiday weekend, warm and sunny...in fact all of next week promised the same............today Friday 4th May, many of the mainstream apple varieties are in full bloom or just past it.........
The bitter cold on Monday will not help flowers which have pollinated achieve fertilization, but those releasing pollen later this week will have excellent warm conditions for pollen tube growth essential for fertilization.......
Below: In my garden, the Bladon Pippin carry abundant blossom; for a week now they have been at the 'balloon' stage, but over the last 24 hours moved on sharply with the warmer and sunnier weather.........
Below: Left; Discovery flowers with some pollen sacs open and right; Discovery flowers past the pollination period with all pollen sacs released
In last week's Journal we reviewed the BIFGA Spring walk held at Sheernden Farm in Pluckley. Awash with blossom after the high temperatures of the previous week..........the weather cooler but still in the mid teens (average for the time of year)............
This week The English Apple Man reflects on the Marden Fruit Show AGM last Thursday morning and an afternoon visit to the AGRI trial orchard at East Malling Research (EMR)
Following the formalities of the MFS AGM the presentation of MFS Long Term Storage Classes takes place. Judgment of these classes in which the 'winning' store operators receive awards for the quality of fruit held in store from harvest in September/October (depending on variety) until the samples are removed from store at the end of February. The judging panel: fruit industry storage experts: Dr. David Johnson & Dr. Martin Luton, Worldwide Fruit Technical manager Caroline Ashdown and her assistant Charnee, assessed four criteria; Internal Condition - 'Firmness of flesh and Absence of 'Disorders & Rots' - External Condition 'Ground colour of skin' and 'Absence of Shrivel or Rots'
Below: Storage entries in the 2018 Long Term Storage Class
The quality of storage sample entries was very high; so high indeed that in Class 22 - Gala or any sport of Gala, three entries scored a maximum 100%
In CLASS 22 - GALA or any Sport of Gala
Three entries scored the maximum 100% and each shared the prize money.
The prize money and prize for this class is sponsored by Orchard World Ltd
1st Newmafruit Farms Ltd
Howfield Farm, Howfield Lane
Chartham Canterbury Kent CT4 7HQ
1st F W Mansfield & Son
Nickle Farm, Ashford Road
Chartham Canterbury Kent CT4 7PF
1st Simon Bray
Monks Farm, Norton Road, Norton
Sittingbourne, Kent
Landseer Prize for the Store Operator Envelope
CLASS 23 - BRAMLEY
The Trophy is The John Wills Award for Long Term Stored Bramley
The prize money and prize for this class is sponsored by Wealden AM.
1st Adrian Scripps Ltd
Moat Farm
Five Oak Green
Tonbridge Kent TN12 6RR
Landseer Prize for the Store Operator Envelope
2nd F W Mansfield & Son
Nickle Farm, Ashford Road
Chartham Canterbury Kent CT4 7PF
3rd Simon Bray
Monks Farm, Norton Road, Norton
Sittingbourne, Kent
CLASS 24 - ANY OTHER VARIETY DESSERT APPLE except Cox's Orange Pippin or any Sport of Cox
The prize money and prize for this class is sponsored by Hadlow College
1st F W Mansfield & Son
Nickle Farm, Ashford Road
Chartham Canterbury Kent CT4 7PF
Landseer Prize for the Store Operator Envelope
2nd F W Mansfield & Son
Nickle Farm, Ashford Road
Chartham Canterbury Kent CT4 7PF
3rd Adrian Scripps Ltd
Moat Farm
Five Oak Green
Tonbridge Kent TN12 6RR
CLASS 25 - COX'S ORANGE PIPPIN or any Sport of Cox
The prize money and prize for this class is sponsored by J D Cooling Systems Ltd
The Trophy is presented by Marks and Spencer.
1st F W Mansfield & Son
Nickle Farm, Ashford Road
Chartham, Canterbury Kent CT4 7PF
Landseer Prize for the Store Operator Envelope
2nd Simon Bray
Monks Farm, Norton Road, Norton
Sittingbourne, Kent
CLASS 26 - PEARS
The prize money and prize for this class is sponsored by Wealden AM.
1st Newmafruit Farms Ltd
Howfield Farm, Howfield Lane
Chartham Canterbury Kent CT4 7HQ
Landseer Prize for the Store Operator Envelope
Ron Tassell Trophy for the Store Operator of the Best All Round Exhibit
Winner: Paul Hollman F W Mansfield & Son
Nickle Farm
Ashford Road
Chartham
Canterbury
Kent CT4 7PF
Unfortunately only two of the 'winning store operators' were able to attend the presentations; Simon Bray from Monks Farm and Paul Holman from F W Mansfield.
Below: Simon Bray (centre) with MFS President Michael Jack and MFS Chair Sarah Calcutt
Below: Simon Bray's Class 22 = 1st place entry
Below: F W Mansfield's Class 22 = 1st place entry
Below: Adrian Scripps Ltd. Class 23 Winning Bramley entry
Below: F W Mansfield's AOV (Any other variety) Winning Jazz entry
Below: F W Mansfield's Winning Cox entry
Below: Paul Holman winner of the Prestigious Ron Tassell Trophy for the Store Operator of the Best All Round Exhibit
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Following the MFS Long Term Storage Prize giving we moved to the AGRII trial orchard for a tour with AGRII Agronomist Colin Bird
The trial orchard established in 2013 at NIAB-EMR in Kent, covers a one hectare (2.4 acre) site and is planted with over 50 different dessert and cider apples, pears, plums and cherries - a small trial plot of strawberries was included
The blocks are big enough to carry out fully replicated trials on individual varieties. The site is used to evaluate 'establishment' and 'pruning' techniques, 'efficacy' and 'phytotoxicity' rik of plant protection products, plant growth regulators, biostimulants and adjuvants.
Below: Trial trees
Below: left; Hillwell Braeburn and rigt; Lavera Cox - just two of the varieties in the AGRII trial orchard
Below: Gala is available in many clones: left; Michgla Gala and right; Annaglo Gala
Below: left; a trial with NO fungicides used and right; emphasizing the challenge a Mildew infected flower truss
Below: left; a trial with NO herbicides used and right; a consequence - 'thistles'
AGRII's trial orchard is proving to be an excellent medium for cooperation and learning; with a free reign for any company; enabling 'even' direct competitors to AGRII to carry out trials on what is deemed a service by AGRII to the UK fruit industry.
That's all for this week; looking forward to a nice weekend with activity on our new Barbecue..........
Take care
The English Apple Man