The Journal gives a weekly update on events in our English apple orchards, using pictures and video clips to follow seasonal activities and giving the consumer a level of detail not available from any other source.
All aspects of growing, harvesting, storage, grading, packing and marketing are included enabling consumers to understand the challenges English growers face in supplying our sophisticated market place.
Each season the NFS runs a competition for the best samples of Long Term Stored apples and pears
Below: Caroline Ashdown - General Manager at Allied Growers
The skill of the storage operator is what is being judged. Of course the quality of the stores is paramount and the nutritional balance of the fruit influential. Looking back over the year's when varieties like Cox were the leading UK varieties and the stores were less sophisticated, it was very challenging. Today modern varieties, like Gala, Braeburn and Jazz are more likely to be the subject of judgement.
In days past, when dessert apples were not stored beyond the early spring; (end of March) and stores were at best C/A (controlled atmosphere) the quality of the fruit - not just visually, but especially nutritionally could and indeed would cause surprises.
The samples removed from UK stores at the end of February are then assessed by a team of judges under the management of Caroline Ashdown (it's been her role for a number of years now)
Today with ultra modern stores DCA (Dynamic Controlled Atmosphere) when UK dessert apples are often stored around to the following June/July in perfect condition. and the science of storage disorders is much better understood, the Store Operator has a greater "knowledge Bank" at his disposal!
Below: left. Harvestwatch and right. Safepod system
DEAR ENGLISH APPLE MAN READERS - After last week's blunder, this week the Journal is complete!
Page 1
The world of foliar feeding has come a long way from the 'far off halcyon days of my youth' back in 1958 when I left school, I remember Dad swore by application\s of "Bone Meal" applied by hand casting under our apple trees. Then all of or trees (predominately Cox Orange Pippin) were grown as 'Standards - around 25 feet high or 'Bush trees' around 18ft high!
Bonemeal is an organic fertiliser high in phosphorus. Phosphorus is one of the three major nutrients that plants require for healthy growth and is represented by the chemical symbol 'P' Unlike liquid fertilisers, bonemeal releases nutrients slowly, making it ideal for providing long-term nutrition for a wide range of plants.
Apple trees need a balanced diet of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, with nitrogen being the single most important nutrient for both growth and fruit production. How much you feed, and when, depends largely on whether your tree is young and still growing or mature and bearing fruit. A newly planted tree gets as little as half a pound of balanced fertilizer per year, while a full-sized mature tree can handle up to 10 pounds.
It was only in the late 1970's that we started growing on the 'Centre Leader' tree - closer planted in the row and circa 8 feet in height.
I remember well an old school friend of my Dad (they were both at Judd School in Tonbridge) visiting Dad regularly in that decade, 'playing on their boyhood friendship, while lauding the benefits of MAXICROP - liquid seaweed.
Eventually Dad gave in and once used, we were committed to using this foliar feed. The 'proof in the pudding' was when after a very wet winter, in spring as the trees came to life and the fibrous feeding roots were killed off, and very quickly a hot very dry early summer as the young leaves were developing, where Maxicrop had been applied the leaves were green and healthy; where it had not. the leaves were yellow and stressed!
Our venture into Foliar Feeding had started!
This week's English Apple Man Journal, features almost nothing about apples & pears, but posts memories of an old friend and indulges in nostalgia.
Remembering an old friend - Andrew (Andy) Rutherford
Sadly as we grow old we lose dear friends, each one passing brings back fond memories of the past. Nostalgia is a wonderful comfort in old age and it becomes more precious with each passing day.
Way back in our youth I played football with a special group of friends. From 16 years old until I was aged 23 I was part of Hawkhurst United a local football team playing village football in Kent & East Sussex. In that seven year period we grew into a very good team, winning many trophies and culminating in winning a local Charity Cup which meant so much to us all.
AS mentioned in 1965 we reached The Hawkhurst Charity Cup Final, last won by Hawkhurst United exactly 30 years previously when my father was the star centre forward.
One of my team mates was Andrew (Andy) Rutherford whose family moved into 'Wetheringhope' a large house on Hawkhurst Moor opposite The Eight Bells Public House where we celebrated many a Cup Win with 'Black Velvet' (Champagne & Guinness) Andy played for Hawkhurst between 1957 and 1967.
Andrew was nearly six years older than me and when I first played for Hawkhurst he was in the air force. By 1960 he was back and part of the team as we progressed to a higher league culminating in our many on field successes!
Over the years since our football days, Andrew and I met regularly, playing Golf at various Charity Golf Events. Westerham and Cherry Lodge regular charity venues. We also played at Tenterden Golf Club with Roy (Jumbo) Avery who became an excellent club golfer after retiring from football.
Andrew was a member Dulwich & Sydenham Hill Golf Club with it's panoramic views across London where we would play occasionally and sharing a coffee beforehand with his delightful wife Ann, who I remember would sometimes come to watch Andrew playing for Hawkhurst United with her father in those far of 'halcyon days of our youth' I still have memories of Ann and her father, with my father watching us from the touchline!
Canker is probably the most difficult disease faced by apple growers World Wide.
Below: Dr Mat Papp-Rupar, Plant Pathologist Project Leader NIAB
While many pests and diseases challenge the production of clean healthy fruit, most can be dealt with either by a chemical spray or more environmentally friendly means. Canker has at this moment in time, no weapon, either chemically or otherwise, capable of efficiently killing the spores which are the first enemy of infection!
Containment is currently the only means of keeping canker in check. Over the years we (fruit growers and scientists) would get excited by some new canker strategy. But it is still the number one global challenge.
In a recent presentation Dr Mat Papp-Rupar, Plant Pathologist Project Leader NIAB gave the most comprehensive overview of the history of global battle against apple canker.
Containment is the only practical way of dealing with canker!
Before we review Mat's Canker presentation, I am including a passage from my Journal in 2020 which reviews a canker research update.
Research - The ongoing research for controlling canker has been going on for decades, with 'every so often' a new breakthrough or more accurately 'a better understanding of the canker beast' surfacing. As a grower, I like many was convinced the infection came from the nursery as the 'source of infection' and no doubt that was true in some cases. We know an orchard which has suffered severe canker in the past is the last place to plant a canker susceptible variety. Today we recognise the importance of orchard hygiene; the removal of overwintering canker spores on any pruning's left in the orchard is a 'launch pad' for canker in the next growing season. Pruning in wet weather creates a high risk of spreading infection from one cut surface to another. Leaf abscission when canker spore are prevalent (wet & humid conditions) is another danger zone!
For the full EAM review from February 2020. Click on: Canker - the number 1 challenge for apple growers
Last week BAPL held their annual technical day in conjunction with NIAB EMR
The English Apple Man comments: The content of the day's programme was extensive, one may say comprehensive. While those interested in the detail are best served by visiting the BAPL publication of the Research programme, I will endeavour to pick out the aspects which particularly caught me attention!
BAPL CEO Ali Capper set out the future since exiting AHDB. We have had to be tactical:
Could BAPL raise a levy? - Would everyone pay? - Could we build a reserve?
Would we ever be able to do long term research again?
Ali commented: We are under development now with a new Strategic Plan for BAPL R&D with longer term, multi-year R&D projects
We will Broaden Risk Register to add to Pest & Disease and include climate change mitigation and other concerns, e.g. water, nature, nutrition.
Utilise reserves to underwrite 2-3 year plans introducing new streams of funding to bolster grower levy and enable a robust R&D
plan
"This is important as we cannot initiate new research plans which take 2-3 years to complete without ensuring the funding is in place.
The plan is to maintain levy at current rate but increase external funding!
Click on: BAPL R&D meeting, hosted by Niab on 10 February 2026
My Dear readers, my sincere apologies, but due to unforeseen circumstances I am not able to publish my English Apple Man Journal for this week!
I am okay but struggling with other issues leaving me unable to devote enough time to concentrate on the detail required!
It has been a bit disjointed this week, as I planned to join my many friends in the apple & pear community for the BAPL Research Day on Tuesday. On Monday I accompanied my wife for a pre-op consultation prior to a planned (in the near future) Cataract operation.
But, the Consultant who my wife described as "wonderful" threw a small spanner in the works when he said; "I can do it tomorrow"
Well, what could I do but agree! The appointment was 3.15pm on Tuesday! There goes my visit to BAPL event, but then I realised I could attend the morning session, leave at lunchtime and be home well before our journey to Benenden Hospital.
The cataract operation went well, and now I'm trying to balance my available time!
Below: Tuesday 10th February - British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) R&D meeting 2026
British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) R&D meeting 2026 message from Ali Capper CEO BAPL
"With colleagues from Niab, the BAPL research and development team hosted a full day of presentations from researchers and experts to share the latest in crop protection technologies and approaches. More than 80 people joined in person, with a further 150 people joining via the live online webinar".
The meeting took place in Kent on 10th February 2025 and was open to members of BAPL who pay a levy to support this vital R&D work, as well as other interested parties and colleagues from Niab.
With my busy week and additional workload (looking after the 'patient' administering eye drops 4 times a day etc.) I will leave additional coverage of the BAPL day until next weeks Journal!
This week's Journal will touch on the recent events going on now, and in the near future!
Next Tuesday 10th February the BAPL / NIAB apple and pear event takes place
The recent Fruit Logistica in Berlin
The Next Generation Fruit Group are on the way home from their visit to South Africa
British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) has secured funding worth £200,000 for two new applied research projects through the ADOPT programme, strengthening the organisation's grower-led research and development work aimed at improving sustainability, resilience and productivity in all commercial UK apple orchards.
The funding provides a significant boost to the research programme already supported by British apple and pear growers through BAPL's voluntary levy, allowing the organisation to expand the scope of its work and accelerate delivery of practical solutions for the sector.
"To secure not one, but two Innovate UK grants for this valuable research is fantastic news." Explained Ali Capper, executive chair of BAPL. "This significantly amplifies the scope of our work and brings real tangible benefits to growers, with evidence-based insights on how growers can reduce conventional fertiliser use and use new soil amendments to improve orchard performance and sustainability.
The projects are vitally important for the continued growth of our sector."
British Apples and Pears (BAPL) our apple and pear industry promotional body, has long history of supporting the 'top fruit' industry, but in the last decade has progressed under the influence of CEO Ali Capper into a much broader organisation, delivering much more than public promotion. Now research, etc.
The latest addition to the spectrum of BAPL industry support is the introduction of practical workshops.
In a conversation last week, Ali Capper updated me on the inspiration she had for introducing practical workshops to the services BAPL provides for it's grower members.
Noting that similar organisations in the world, New Zealand, Australia, USA organise practical activities for their members, Ali has added: Practical Workshops to BAPL activities!
Below: Tom Hulme, Paul Hamlyn & Russell Graydon
This page initially shows the latest journals. You can use a journal's link to view the full story.
It is now much easier to find a particular journal of interest. Just type your search terms into the search box or select the month and/or year and click Submit.
I have completed the process of reworking my entire archive of journal pages into the style of the new website to make them more accessible to users of mobile phones etc.
Although the content now adapts to the size of the display, some of the archived journals still have photographs that won't fit and so get cropped. Archived journals are best viewed on a computer screen!