The much improved weather which started 'fitfully' over Easter, has advanced the fruit bud during this week.
EXCITING NEWS.........AFTER FIVE AND A HALF YEARS, AND 308 WEEKLY JOURNALS, THE ENGLISH APPLE MAN IS LAUNCHING A NEW FORMAT
During the course of next week, the website will change from its current format into a much more 'user friendly' format.
Recognising the trend of users increasingly accessing the internet from their mobile phones or tablets, the new format automatically adjusts the image to sit comfortably on whichever device is used.
There will be a period when the website is not available during the transfer to the new website; probably on Tuesday (April 14th) next week.
This week's Journal
The much improved weather which started 'fitfully' over Easter, has advanced the fruit bud during this week.
Below: This fruit bud on my Christmas Pippin apple tree is at the 'green cluster' stage; the spread of bud development ranges from bud/burst/green tip to green cluster.
Last week the bud development was about 2 weeks behind 2014 - with the warmer weather this week, we are now looking at a week to ten days behind last year; if the warmth continues it would be no surprise if full bloom ends up very close to last year, although that seems unlikely with full bloom on most apple varieties between 18th and 25th April in 2014.
If I had to 'stick my neck out' full bloom on the main apple varieties (Gala, Braeburn, Cox, Bramley) will arrive 'during the last week' of April!
With the new season 'coming alive' in orchards, it is comforting to still find excellent quality 'home grown apples and pears on sale in our Supermarkets.
On Thursday; English - Gala, Braeburn, Kanzi, Jazz, Cameo, Jonagold (Organic) & Bramley apples were available in several pack formats in Sainsburys and also Conference pears.
Prices vary from 'Braeburn 'Basics' @ 80p x 4. Mini Gala @ 80p x 8. Conference 'Basics' 80p x 6. Jazz @ £2.25 x 6. Kanzi @ £2.60 x 5. Cameo @ £2 x 4. Organic Jonagold @ £2.50 x 5.
On Tuesday superb English Envy apples were on sale in M&S.
Below: Cameo on the left and Envy on the right
.jpg "English Envy Apples")
And - another English Apple Story!
From Thursday; Cheerfull Gold apples left the packhouse at Victoria Farm Hadlow in Kent bound for Sainsburys Basingstoke Depot; from there they will appear in Sainsburys stores supplied by the depot. They are available in some 65 stores from Chertsey - Chichester, Basingstoke - Bracknell, Cobham - Christchurch, Winchester - Isle of Wight, Wantage - Waterlooville, Bognor Regis - Boscombe.....and many many more......
Below: John Breach inspecting Cheerfull Gold
Bred by Kent Nurseryman John Breach at Chittenden Orchards, Staplehurst, Kent in 1979, from an open-pollinated Cox- Cheerfull Gold has a definite hint of Cox in its flavour.
A subsequent DNA test made in 2009 showed that the Cox had been pollinated by a Golden Delicious.
The oldest trees of Cheerfull Gold TM under test in the UK were planted at Staplehurst, Kent, in winter 1999/2000. Since then a number of growers have planted Cheerfull Gold and after the first retail sales at the end of March in 2014, this years harvest has been packed by Peter Kedge at Victoria Farm; Peter who also grew the majority of the 18 bins packed told me they packed 450 crates of Poly-bag Cheerfull Gold for Sainsburys. The remainder - 'mainly large fruit' has been sent for juice making - the variety produces one of The English Apple Man's favourite apple juices.
Cheerfull Gold has the capability to become a 'late season' English apple as it holds it firmness (pressures at packing were 7 - 7.5kg) and brix (sugars) reached 17%. By comparison Gala would be circa 12%.
All Cheerfull Gold trees are produced at Pepinieres du Valois at Villers-Cotterets - in the Picardy region of FRANCE.
Below: Cheerfull Gold during the grading process at Victoria Farm and Polybag Cheerfull Gold ready for dispatch to Sainsburys stores
For more information - click on John Breach to view the company website.
That is all for this week.......The English Apple Man looks forward to introducing the new website format next week.........
Take care
The English Apple Man