Fruit growers reaping the benefit of a sizzling summer

THE heatwave is leading to the best and earliest harvest of late summer crops such as apples, plums, grapes, tomatoes and even olives, in years, experts said.

The Royal Horticultural Society said it was expecting its best ever late summer apple crop at its gardens at Wisley, Surrey.

Bumper crops of many late summer fruit and berries are the result of the cold weather earlier in the year holding back blossom, which when it flowered did not suffer from any late frosts.

This was followed by hot, sunny conditions, which has led to a bountiful harvest and kept pests and diseases at bay.

Fruit flavours are set to be enhanced by the sunlight, which has boosted sugars and the other ingredients that deliver tasty produce, the RHS said.

Guy Barter, RHS chief horticulturalist, said: “After a disappointing 2017, we’re extremely fortunate this year everything has come together to produce an incredible bounty of pears, plums, apples, tomatoes, grapes, berries, olives and all sorts of other delicious edibles all over the UK.

“Thankfully the Beast from the East [snow storm] actually helped by holding back the blossom and there were no late frosts, which meant we had an explosion of spring flowers.

“Since then, the heat and sunlight has furnished the required energy for the extraordinary abundance of crops we’re seeing now and we would strongly urge people to get gathering and enjoy the best harvest we’ve seen in years.”

He added: “Some fruit such as apples may have suffered drought stress or caught sunburn, but those that haven’t will have soaked up the sun and be all the juicier and more tasty for it.”

It is not just conventional crops such as apples that are doing well, he said, with figs delivering an “amazing” crop at RHS Harlow Carr in Yorkshire.

At Hyde Hall in Essex there are crops of unusual fruit such as Cucamelon, wonderberries, and tiny red tomato-like fruit called vila vila.

Mr Barter said: “It’s likely we will be reaping the rewards of the hot summer from now until late October, and, if the dry spell continues, it will be a joyous harvest season for anyone who likes to grow their own fruit or make their own wine, cider or jams.

“If the weather holds it is looking good for autumn harvest too.”