Apples and Pears

[Robert_Brenchley]

The top pic is Worcester Pearmain, grown on M26 rootstock, which is a bit too slow-growing for the space I have, and the bottom one is Charles Ross on MM106, whichi is more like it. I should have used a pole to support that branch, as it snapped off the day after I took the pic. I can still use the apples in a crumble though. Both trees were bought three years ago.

[Robert_Brenchley]

[Robert_Brenchley]

This is Conference; I planted it and a Williams three years ago. They were potted plants rather than being bare-rooted like the rest of my fruit, and haven't done at all well. Growth has been weak and spindly, but at least I'm getting something this year. It's well overgrown with weeds at the moment as I haven't been well enough to keep up with them. Bottom pic is a big old pear tree in a semi-derelict plot.

[Jesse]

Good crop considering the size of the trees :) How is your fruit coping with the wasps and birds? We managed to get quite a few apples this year but the pears are taking a battering, I've managed to cover one branch with flyscreen mesh but it's a big tree and too tall for me to net entirely.

[Hot_Potato]

Robert....I've read several times in various postings of yours that you've mentioned not being well....I do hope that now you're 'on the mend' and beginning to feel better......I'm sure you mentioned a 'head injury' somewhere!!

What a pity about that branch breaking off - but crumble will be nice.

You mention the fact that it's 'got a bit overgrown'....well I've got a 'little jungle' of 9 fruit trees all planted within a few feet of each other (by someone else, not me) totally entwined with brambles & stinging nettles that are as tall as me - 5 feet!!....so yours looks 'tidy' compared to mine....

[Robert_Brenchley]

This is only 3 months' neglect, so it's disgraceful but could be worse. I had a silly fall before Christmas, hit my head on the edge of a desk, concussed myself, and broke my cheekbone. It took several months to get over that one properly, then the end of last term I came down with a chest infection which has finished me for the summer. I'm getting better now but it's an awful long haul, and now my wife's come down with it.

The wasps aren't too bad this year, the few around all seem to be busy trying to get into my beehives, mostly through the false entrances I use to decieve them. I think the cold weather last spring did for a lot of recently emerged queens.