Monday 30 August 2010

Apple bonanza

This has seemed like a year off tending the allotment.  Although we have visited often, the daily/weekly visits have not been possible.  Aside from mowing the lawns and paths weeding (of course), there hasn't been a vast amount to maintain.  We definitely aren't aiming for prize-winning standards, or even keeping up appearances.  The plot has to take its place alongside the other demands on our time.
We have also had a very odd year of weather for gardening.  It started off with a freezing cold spring (May), then overnight turned boiling hot and dry (June to mid-July), and late summer (Jul/Aug) seems to have been a monsoon (good old St Swithun).  In early summer, our crop plans were defeated by the difficulties of watering through a drought, whilst accomodating two full time jobs, two kids and a full calendar of holidays and long distance family celebrations.  We have had a fantastic year as human beings, but less so as gardeners!
So we were thrilled to find that the apple trees have been busy while we were away.
Every year seems to bring something special from luck rather than judgement, and here it was.  Jamie has promised to make a tarte tatin later, so I will post photos of the results later.

6 comments:

  1. From what I can see in the second picture, it is a very small apple tree. It is beautiful how many fruit it is growing.

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  2. beautiful! We ordered some apple trees to plant this fall. It'll be awhile, but I can't wait until we have a harvest like yours.

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  3. Well apples are a wonderful crop to have. I'll have to buy all mine from the farmers market.

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  4. Those apples look perfect! Are they as sweet and crisp as they look? It must be nice to have some low-maintenance apple trees in your backyard (I assume that's where they are?) that grow for you even when you're out and about with your life happenings.

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  5. those are great looking apples. Unfortunately at our community plot they are quite wormy and often stolen. Yours are lovely!

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  6. They look lovely! Our surprise crop has been the marrows and courgettes which have been prolific despite only watering once a week during the dry spell. Back garden is looking lush thanks to the August rainfall...like you, I've been too busy otherwheres to post much this year, but it's nice to catch up:-)

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