Rotting fruit beneath a nearby Pear tree.
Absolutely nothing beneath this Walnut tree.
The effects of our late Spring frost are now being felt throughout. We have no walnuts, and very few grapes.
Normally this Walnut tree (above) would be dropping nuts by the hundreds, and as no-one gathers them there would usually be a considerable mess of crushed nuts and shells covering the road. This year the road is clear and clean.
Last Saturday I asked my Vigneron what, if any, his harvest would be, and he reckons he will produce about 35% of his usual amount.
Such is life. One never knows what's around the corner; especially in the countryside.
It is the same here with Kumara (sweet potatoe).
ReplyDeleteLuckily I have a box full of Walnuts from last year, and they're as good as new.
DeleteHopefully, next year will be a bumper crop.
DeleteI'm counting on it.
DeleteBrambles made a poor show here, but tomatoes have had a bumper crop.
ReplyDeleteDifference in years.
Hardly any Blackberries here, but most other things OK (except for the above).
DeleteThat was a killer frost after such a warm start.
ReplyDeleteLuckily I'd covered all my small veg' plants with plastic pots.
DeleteNot even one walnut on the ground? It certainly is a resting year. Our lemon trees are 'resting' this year. First time in years we have to scrounge them from friends
ReplyDeleteNo, there's nothing. I hadn't realised that they were so frost sensitive. I've not known another year like it.
DeleteThat's mother nature for you.
ReplyDeleteLet them eat Pears.
DeleteYes, that minus 6 frost in May did a lot of damage here too. I have picked just two baskets of apples from three trees, no plums, but the pear tree is abundant. I had to pick my apples this week because of deer and parakeet damage. Deer are becoming a real nuisance in the Surrey Hills. Last night just as it was getting dark I was watching three deer and a fox communing happily in the field just 10 metres from my window. When my son arrived home and stopped the car to watch them they carried on browsing, completely unperturbed. I love watching them but fear for my roses!
ReplyDeleteI was born in Surrey (Lingfield) and don't remember seeing a single deer. There were plenty of foxes. Here the deer come out in daylight to strip the bark off our fruit trees, we have to wrap chicken wire around the trunks.
DeleteDoes that mean higher wine prices? Plenty of pears but no apples in somerset.
ReplyDeleteI imagine so, I didn't like to ask. At the present price of €1.10 per litre, I quite expect they'll add on a bit.
Deletedried pears, bottled pears, fruit leather....bliss!
ReplyDeletelucky walnuts and grapes (in many forms) keep from the bountiful years
We did think of making some fruit leathers this year; next year maybe.
DeleteI shall now go down to the garden and look at our walnut trees, although being so far North the fruit is never really fully developed - but the grey squirrels like them.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was small we always used to pickle them, otherwise the Squirrels had the lot.
DeleteWe are having summer temps finally, so I will leave my garden in for a bit longer. My grandson is allergic to bees and wasp stings so your picture spells danger to our family.
ReplyDeleteSame here Jane. Our Indian Summer at last. Amongst those rotting Pears are several big Hornets; I just ignore them.
DeleteWe now have a problem with the paper mache wasps. We didn't used too but they are very aggressive. They love fallen pears and apples.
ReplyDeleteI recently saved a Bee from drowning in our pool. I lifted it out with my hand (as I always do) and the blighter stung me. It hurt for several days.
DeleteI love your artwork and follow you pots this very minute!
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