Apricots

Of my 11 fruit trees this apricot and the apple are the only ones to produce more than a handful of fruit, or any, for that matter. The problem was caused when we had an early spring followed by a late winter. This tree is in a sheltered spot.

Very few of the apricots are ripe enough to pick, but the blackbirds have been picking them to try them out. The ground was littered with fruit with holes picked in them. My son spent a lot of time and ingenuity covering as much as possible of the tree with bird netting. We picked the ripe ones- nearly half a bucket. He took some to a friend and I processed the bulk of the remainder and dehydrated them. I love dried apricots, but not the pale sweet ones that are in the shops. I also love them fresh with my homemade soft cheese.

I had my first bunch of grapes from the greenhouse. Only a few are ripening, but there’s a lot coming on, and at different stages, from flowers to ripe. It could be a long season.