This year, again, we are very grateful to Lorinda Jewsbury for the flowering dates for the apples, pears, cherries and plums growing in the National Fruit Collections at Brogdale in Kent, UK
27th April 2023
The cool spring weather has produced a bit of a slow start to the flowering at Brogdale this year, with a touch of frost damage seen on the early plum varieties. However, flowering in the orchards is now underway (the plums are mostly over) and, with the temperatures on the rise for the coming Bank Holiday weekend, it will be a busy time out there in early May.
Early-flowering plums may be further impacted by the cool weather as a lack of pollinators in early spring is likely to affect fruit numbers on these varieties. To add to this, the past winter at Brogdale was relatively mild and this has led to high levels of SWD (spotted wing drosphila) now being seen in the orchards. This small fly targets soft fruit (cherry and plum at Brogdale), laying eggs in developing fruit and damaging the crop. Hopefully we won’t see too much damage from them this year, but we will continue to monitor its numbers in the orchards.
On a good note, flowering in the pears has been a great improvement on last year (which saw very light flowering on a number of varieties) and the hope is for a better crop in 2023.
27 April 2023
PLUM
Cambridge Gage: 4th April (10% open); 7th April (full flower); 21st April (90% petal fall)
Czar: 5th April (10% open); 7th April (full flower); 19th April (90% petal fall)
Denniston’s Superb (Imperial Gage): 31st March (10% open); 2nd April (full flower); 12th April (90% petal fall)
Farleigh Damson: 6th April (10% open); 8th April (full flower); 18th April (90% petal fall)
Marjorie’s Seedling: 10th April (10% open); 13th April (full flower); 23rd April (90% petal fall)
Oullins Gage: 3rd April (10% open); 7th April (full flower); 16th April (90% petal fall)
Pershore Yellow Egg: 6th April (10% open); 8th April (full flower); 21st April (90% petal fall)
Victoria: 7th April (10% open); 9th April (full flower); 20th April (90% petal fall)
PEAR
Concorde: 22nd April (10% open); 25th April (full flower);
Conference: 18th April (10% open); 22nd April (full flower);
Doyenne du Comice: 24th April (10% open); 27th April (full flower);
Louise Bonne of Jersey: 8th April (10% open); 11th April (full flower); 23rd April (90% petal fall)
CHERRY
Early Rivers: 16th April (10% open); 20th April (full flower);
Hertford: 26th April (10% open);
Lapins: 15th April (10% open); 19th April (full flower);
Merchant: 26th April (10% open);
Stella:
Sunburst:
APPLE
Blenheim Orange:
Bramley’s Seedling:
Cox’s Orange Pippin:
Crawley Beauty:
Discovery:
Egremont Russet:
Falstaff:
Feuillemorte:
Fiesta/Red Pippin:
Gala:
James Grieve:
Jonagold:
Meridian:
Red Astrachan: 17th April (10% open); 20th April (full flower);
St. Edmund’s Pippin: 25th April (10% open);
Worcester Pearmain:
______________________
4 May 2023
PLUM
Cambridge Gage: 4th April (10% open); 7th April (full flower); 21st April (90% petal fall)
Czar: 5th April (10% open); 7th April (full flower); 19th April (90% petal fall)
Denniston’s Superb (Imperial Gage): 31st March (10% open); 2nd April (full flower); 12th April (90% petal fall)
Farleigh Damson: 6th April (10% open); 8th April (full flower); 18th April (90% petal fall)
Marjorie’s Seedling: 10th April (10% open); 13th April (full flower); 23rd April (90% petal fall)
Oullins Gage: 3rd April (10% open); 7th April (full flower); 16th April (90% petal fall)
Pershore Yellow Egg: 6th April (10% open); 8th April (full flower); 21st April (90% petal fall)
Victoria: 7th April (10% open); 9th April (full flower); 20th April (90% petal fall)
PEAR
Concorde: 22nd April (10% open); 25th April (full flower);
Conference: 18th April (10% open); 22nd April (full flower);
Doyenne du Comice: 24th April (10% open); 27th April (full flower);
Louise Bonne of Jersey: 8th April (10% open); 11th April (full flower); 23rd April (90% petal fall)
CHERRY
Early Rivers: 16th April (10% open); 20th April (full flower);
Hertford: 26th April (10% open); 30th April (full flower);
Lapins: 15th April (10% open); 19th April (full flower); 3rd May (90% petal fall)
Merchant: 26th April (10% open); 29th April (full flower);
Stella: 28th April (10% open); 30th April (full flower);
Sunburst: 28th April (10% open); 30th April (full flower);
APPLE
Blenheim Orange:
Bramley’s Seedling: 3rd May (10% open);
Cox’s Orange Pippin: 4th May (10% open);
Crawley Beauty:
Discovery: 2nd May (10% open); 4th May (full flower);
Egremont Russet: 27th April (10% open); 30th April (full flower);
Falstaff: 3rd May (10% open);
Feuillemorte:
Fiesta/Red Pippin: 3rd May (10% open);
Gala: 2nd May (10% open); 5th May (full flower);
James Grieve: 30th April (10% open); 3rd May (full flower);
Jonagold:
Meridian: 30th April (10% open); 3rd May (full flower);
Red Astrachan: 17th April (10% open); 20th April (full flower);
St. Edmund’s Pippin: 25th April (10% open); 29th April (full flower);
Worcester Pearmain:
_____________________
19 May 2023
PLUM
Cambridge Gage: 4th April (10% open); 7th April (full flower); 21st April (90% petal fall)
Czar: 5th April (10% open); 7th April (full flower); 19th April (90% petal fall)
Denniston’s Superb (Imperial Gage): 31st March (10% open); 2nd April (full flower); 12th April (90% petal fall)
Farleigh Damson: 6th April (10% open); 8th April (full flower); 18th April (90% petal fall)
Marjorie’s Seedling: 10th April (10% open); 13th April (full flower); 23rd April (90% petal fall)
Oullins Gage: 3rd April (10% open); 7th April (full flower); 16th April (90% petal fall)
Pershore Yellow Egg: 6th April (10% open); 8th April (full flower); 21st April (90% petal fall)
Victoria: 7th April (10% open); 9th April (full flower); 20th April (90% petal fall)
PEAR
Concorde: 22nd April (10% open); 25th April (full flower); 8th May (90% petal fall)
Conference: 18th April (10% open); 22nd April (full flower); 6th May (90% petal fall)
Doyenne du Comice: 24th April (10% open); 27th April (full flower); 6th May (90% petal fall)
Louise Bonne of Jersey: 8th April (10% open); 11th April (full flower); 23rd April (90% petal fall)
CHERRY
Early Rivers: 16th April (10% open); 20th April (full flower); 6th May (90% petal fall)
Hertford: 26th April (10% open); 30th April (full flower); 6th May (90% petal fall)
Lapins: 15th April (10% open); 19th April (full flower); 3rd May (90% petal fall)
Merchant: 26th April (10% open); 29th April (full flower); 9th May (90% petal fall)
Stella: 28th April (10% open); 30th April (full flower); 9th May (90% petal fall)
Sunburst: 28th April (10% open); 30th April (full flower); 8th May (90% petal fall)
APPLE
Blenheim Orange: 5th May (10% open); 7th May (full flower); 14th May (90% petal fall)
Bramley’s Seedling: 3rd May (10% open); 6th May (full flower); 20th May (90% petal fall)
Cox’s Orange Pippin: 4th May (10% open); 6th May (full flower); 14th May (90% petal fall)
Crawley Beauty:
Discovery: 2nd May (10% open); 4th May (full flower); 16th May (90% petal fall)
Egremont Russet: 27th April (10% open); 30th April (full flower); 9th May (90% petal fall)
Falstaff: 3rd May (10% open); 5th May (full flower); 18th May (90% petal fall)
Feuillemorte:
Fiesta/Red Pippin: 3rd May (10% open); 5th May (full flower); 16th May (90% petal fall)
Gala: 2nd May (10% open); 5th May (full flower); 14th May (90% petal fall)
James Grieve: 30th April (10% open); 3rd May (full flower);
Jonagold: 5th May (10% open); 8th May (full flower); 16th May (90% petal fall)
Meridian: 30th April (10% open); 3rd May (full flower); 17th May (90% petal fall)
Red Astrachan: 17th April (10% open); 20th April (full flower); 7th May (90% petal fall)
St. Edmund’s Pippin: 25th April (10% open); 29th April (full flower); 8th May (90% petal fall)
Worcester Pearmain: 5th May (10% open); 7th May (full flower); 19th May (90% petal fall)
_________________
26 May 2023
Just an update for the apple James Grieve this time, as we’re still waiting on Crawley Beauty and Feuillemorte.
PLUM
Cambridge Gage: 4th April (10% open); 7th April (full flower); 21st April (90% petal fall)
Czar: 5th April (10% open); 7th April (full flower); 19th April (90% petal fall)
Denniston’s Superb (Imperial Gage): 31st March (10% open); 2nd April (full flower); 12th April (90% petal fall)
Farleigh Damson: 6th April (10% open); 8th April (full flower); 18th April (90% petal fall)
Marjorie’s Seedling: 10th April (10% open); 13th April (full flower); 23rd April (90% petal fall)
Oullins Gage: 3rd April (10% open); 7th April (full flower); 16th April (90% petal fall)
Pershore Yellow Egg: 6th April (10% open); 8th April (full flower); 21st April (90% petal fall)
Victoria: 7th April (10% open); 9th April (full flower); 20th April (90% petal fall)
PEAR
Concorde: 22nd April (10% open); 25th April (full flower); 8th May (90% petal fall)
Conference: 18th April (10% open); 22nd April (full flower); 6th May (90% petal fall)
Doyenne du Comice: 24th April (10% open); 27th April (full flower); 6th May (90% petal fall)
Louise Bonne of Jersey: 8th April (10% open); 11th April (full flower); 23rd April (90% petal fall)
CHERRY
Early Rivers: 16th April (10% open); 20th April (full flower); 6th May (90% petal fall)
Hertford: 26th April (10% open); 30th April (full flower); 6th May (90% petal fall)
Lapins: 15th April (10% open); 19th April (full flower); 3rd May (90% petal fall)
Merchant: 26th April (10% open); 29th April (full flower); 9th May (90% petal fall)
Stella: 28th April (10% open); 30th April (full flower); 9th May (90% petal fall)
Sunburst: 28th April (10% open); 30th April (full flower); 8th May (90% petal fall)
APPLE
Blenheim Orange: 5th May (10% open); 7th May (full flower); 14th May (90% petal fall)
Bramley’s Seedling: 3rd May (10% open); 6th May (full flower); 20th May (90% petal fall)
Cox’s Orange Pippin: 4th May (10% open); 6th May (full flower); 14th May (90% petal fall)
Crawley Beauty:
Discovery: 2nd May (10% open); 4th May (full flower); 16th May (90% petal fall)
Egremont Russet: 27th April (10% open); 30th April (full flower); 9th May (90% petal fall)
Falstaff: 3rd May (10% open); 5th May (full flower); 18th May (90% petal fall)
Feuillemorte:
Fiesta/Red Pippin: 3rd May (10% open); 5th May (full flower); 16th May (90% petal fall)
Gala: 2nd May (10% open); 5th May (full flower); 14th May (90% petal fall)
James Grieve: 30th April (10% open); 3rd May (full flower); 21st May (90% petal fall)
Jonagold: 5th May (10% open); 8th May (full flower); 16th May (90% petal fall)
Meridian: 30th April (10% open); 3rd May (full flower); 17th May (90% petal fall)
Red Astrachan: 17th April (10% open); 20th April (full flower); 7th May (90% petal fall)
St. Edmund’s Pippin: 25th April (10% open); 29th April (full flower); 8th May (90% petal fall)
Worcester Pearmain: 5th May (10% open); 7th May (full flower); 19th May (90% petal fall)
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