Thursday, 20 August 2009

A good year for fruit!!

blackberries
Blackberries

Well this year, (like every year I suppose) has had it's up and downs success wise...and that goes for everyone across the board, not just me (which is good in a way as it means I don't feel like a total failure!!) However that said it has been an excellent year for fruit.


strawberry plant
strawberry pants.

I think I read on someone else's blog that they'd had problems trying to produce blueberries...but apparently they are very hard to get established..(which I didn't know and now just have to try for next year so I can probably join that failure department too!!) But all in all it has been a GREAT fruit year...with all the bushes, plants and trees producing way more than anyone can handle.

redcurrants
Redcurrants...I think!

This has been good for me as I LOVE fruit but only have a very small gooseberry bush and a few canes on my own allotment plot but a lot of the other allotment holders were more than happy for me to nab some of their fruit so it didn't all go to waste and I have been doing just that and been making pies, crumbles, jams, ice-creams, milkshakes, smoothies....??? Think that's it so far...any other ideas as to what I can make???

apple tree
apple tree.

Well I have put up a few pics of the allotment bushes and trees and stuff...has the fruit produced as well as this everywhere???
gooseberry bush
MY gooseberry bush.

What have you all been doing with your fruit??

blackcurrants
blackcurrants...I think??

The only thing that hasn't produced for us is my Mum's cherry tree. This is nothing new though...I think in my WHOLE life it has only produced edible cherries twice. They were delicious and plentiful but usually it is just pips covered in skin...anyone no why??

raspberry canes
raspberry canes.
Posted by Tanya.

at 08:13

8 comments:

  1. Kella20 August 2009 at 08:51

    Sorry to hear you can't get down to the plot and potter as you like but do take it easy, that way you can recover quicker to enjoy what you love to do plotting :0)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tracey20 August 2009 at 10:10

    The wild fruit has gone crazy too, we have a Japonica quince growing nearby which is just groaning with fruit this year.

    It's a bit of a relief as last year wasn't so good, we had real trouble finding sloes and for a few panic striken days thought we wouldn't be able to make sloe gin (shock, horror)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sue Garrett20 August 2009 at 11:15

    Sorry that this is probably not the best place for these but I couldn't find a contact address.

    I'm sure you must be aware of the problems experienced by allotment holders last year due to the use of manure contaminated by a persitent herbicide called aminopyralid. Information has been collated about this problem from the links on this page http://www.glallotments.btik.com/p_Contaminated_Manure.ikml
    Just to update on the latest re aminopyralid contamination in case you would like to provide updates on your website or to allotment holders in your area.

    The latest infomation re manure contamination is posted on my website here http://www.glallotments.btik.com/p_herbicide_latest.ikml
    I have also sent out a email for circulation by everyone I know that has been affected which is here http://www.glallotments.btik.com/attachments/contaminated_manure_alert.pdf which you may find useful to circulate to allotment holders in your area.

    It is particularly important that gardeners be aware of the need for caution when obtaining manure in light of the fact that the government are now considering reinstating the licence that was temporarily suspended last year. As this is a concern to many gardeners you may wish to publicise an a epetition that has been started here http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/aminopyralidban/

    I am posting updates as I get them on my blog http://glallotments.blogspot.com/ just on case you want to keep a watching brief.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Auntie E20 August 2009 at 13:14

    Some place had a lot of rain.Great for the fruit. Bet they all are sweet. What else beside pies do you do with Gooseberries?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Tanya.20 August 2009 at 14:37

    thanks for all the comments.

    So glad you can make plenty of gin this year Tracey.. :-)

    Don't worry Kella, I'm taking it easy so as to get back into the swing of things as soon as possible!

    Auntie E I also make gooseberry Jam and crumble...gooseberry fool is quite a common recipe too although I have never made this...really should give it a go!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jo20 August 2009 at 16:21

    Hi Tanya. I've just been catching up on your blog after my fortnight away.
    Sorry to hear that you're presently out of action, but wish you well with your recovery.
    I was really pleased with my strawberries this year. Having only had the allotment since March, the plants were only planted this year, so I didn't really expect alot from them, but they were great. Also, my blueberries, which I grow at home in containers were smashing. I had only one plant last year and this didn't produce a single berry, so I bought a second plant at the back end of last year, and this year both plants have gone mad. A pesky blackbird was trying to nick the fruit though!

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  7. Unknown21 August 2009 at 13:43

    Those are some great looking fruit plants. Unfortunately for me I cant grow fruit yet (we are still renting) but my veggies are doing ok :D

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sue Garrett27 May 2010 at 15:50

    Just to inform you that the website mentioned has move to http://glallotments.co.uk and the direct links to manure information pages are at http://glallotments.co.uk/ACManure.aspx

    ReplyDelete

keep it clean...keep it relevant...I look forward to reading your comments!!

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