Apples still dropping a lot of their fruit

[AdrienneRobinson]

I’ve got 2 apple trees, one is a Bramley, about 20 years old, the other is a Sunset, which is about 5.
Is anybody else having a lot more dropping than usual? And a few even seem to be ready to pick (not all).
Both trees have a lot more fruit on them this year and really big fruit too, especially the Bramleys - they’re absolutely huge! I’m wondering whether a lot are dropping because of the dry weather this year - perhaps the trees can’t hold on to the fruit because it’s so dry? Anyone else having the same?

[oldherbaceous]

Definitely, where I was working today, (funnily enough, named The Orchards) I picked up 2 full barrow loads of apples and that is the third week on the trot…..just down to a total lack of rain here…..I hate to think how low the water table is….we are meant to be having a few showers today, i’ll wait and see if it happens!

[Clive.]

It's certainly playing tricks with the fruit this year. Some seem spot on time as usual, Laxton Fortune is lovely at the moment whilst the stalwart mid September cooking apple Queen is already coming away from the tree very very easy and has brown pips so i decided it is ready to pick.. However, Arthur Turner, cooker seems a bit behind where it was last year. Couple of days ago I tried one and it seemed a way off but then tried again today and it now seems very close to ready. It is a good one though as I have found that you can pick the best looking ones and then leave it a while and have a few returns to it for the next batch. So maybe I picked the wrong apple from the tree to test first. ?
Bramleys on smaller more modern rootstocks are huge but are falling. On older standard trees they are smaller and holding firmer to the tree..

There's a Victoria plum on which the fruit has no flavour, rather insipid. The fruit has filled out to more or less regular size and softened but whilst quite usable it has poor/no flavour.
Medlar tree, 100% reliable and loaded as ever if a little smaller than some years.

...and late this afternoon 4mm of quite sharp rain.

C.

[Clive.]

Whilst the Victoria plums weren't so good in flavour, although I've stewed some more today for three days pud, the Marjorie's Seedling plums have done really well. For some reason it's a bit of a shy cropper in the back garden here and tends to be full of grubs but this year the fruit are very good if a bit smaller and ready to use , which to me feels early.? The little tree, trained on a fence side, is loaded.

C.

[Westi]

Took my very last Victoria plum off the tree today so they have all finished. Obvs plum beauty was the first ready. The russet Apples have gone completely mad but I have been able to give lot's to the food bank box & the little french apple tree, name unknown is still holding it's fruit. At home the red fleshed apples are also holding. The pears are prolific as well & way bigger than usual, I've been raking them up every time I'm done as the rats do appear to like them the most. Of course we will pay for this next year & probs only get a light harvest.

Today I did some weeding around the autumn raspberries, as full of bindweed which was pulling them down, but no signs of flowering yet. They might perk up with the rain & the lower temp. Sowed my winter brassica's & cleared a few beds where things were looking a bit rough & untidy & found some baby cauliflowers have popped up. These were sown almost at the beginning of the season & just been sitting there, I thought they were frazzled by the heat. Tomorrow is prepping & freezing day, I've given away enough runners & the like, so need to stock my own freezer now!

The 'studio' is finished, just some roofing on the lean to to finish. It's an add on to keep Mr's mobility scooters in & they are putting a charger in there.

[oldherbaceous]

Glad the Studio is completed Westi, hope it has turned out well!