Fruit Grower’s Journal

It was a week ago now.  Temperatures dropped to the mid-20’s or lower, and the effect in some orchards was not pretty.  Site played a major role in how well apple flowers and developing fruits survived. In the southern part of the state, most orchards fared OK.  There was some minor damage, primarily in low [...]

Well, tonight will likely tell the tale.  Will this early spring come to a screeching halt due to a hard frost predicted by morn or will we escape?  I for one am hoping for some of that wind that has battered us the past several days or a bit of cloud cover to hold the [...]

Fruit growers have been racing down a fine line lately.  Fruit trees are early this year with blossom as much as 2 weeks ahead of normal in most orchards.  Apple flowers are not very hardy at bloom.  Temperatures below 29oF spell trouble.
Frosts and near frosts the past several mornings have left many growers tired and [...]

The blare of yellow forsythia flowers muted by a thin coat of wet snow, bright green blades of grass poking up through a white blanket – you can never describe a New Hampshire spring as boring!

Snow covers peaches in bloom in a NH orchard. Photo: W. Lord.

What does this yo-yo weather mean for fruit [...]

The past week of warm weather sure changed the way things feel in the orchard.  Plum flower buds at the University of New Hampshire Horticulture Farm are already showing green.  Cooler weather this week will will likely put the brakes on things, but wow, spring is bursting out.
Strawberry fields are still mulched with straw, and [...]

Oh, how fickle the spring can be.  First a tease of warmth, then a cold slap in the face just to remind one that summer is months away.
The melting snow has revealed some unwanted changes.  Voles under the protective cover of snow took advantage of missing or broken guards to sate their appetites for the [...]

What a great last week!  Temperatures have been mild, snow has been fading gradually away, and the promise of full crops of peaches and blueberries has me smiling.  Of course, there is a lot of winter ahead, but one can dream, right?
I have been out pruning with blueberry and apple growers almost daily over the [...]

I have been doing some pruning over the past several weeks.  Pruning is a very relaxing activity for me.  I like to approach a tree, make a quick mental note of the problem two or three major branches that need action, and wade in.  Of course, my focus is on fruit quality first and foremost.
I [...]

I put a bag of Honeycrisp apples on the counter just before Christmas and just finished eating the last one – it was still crisp and delicious.  Most apples though will not maintain that just picked flavor and crispness very long if kept at room temperature.  Keeping apples cold – very cold – is the [...]

I just had to lead with a picture of this bin of HoneyCrisp apples on its way to storage. Photo: W.Lord

Do you want to preserve that just picked flavor and crispness of your apples as long as possible?
Of all the factors that affect how well apples keep that fresh-picked flavor and crispness, temperature [...]