Are you going to Gardeners World Live at NEC on 12-16th June? If so you could put a question re this to Anne Swithinbank or Matt Biggs. I've booked and received an email form to put questions to Anne & Matt prior to the event so if you are going too you could submit the question. If you're not I could submit it for you as I'm booked to see Anne & Matt's 'Grow Your Own' presentation on the 12th June. (I'd be interested to learn the answer in case my tree suffers the same way). I'm guessing but it could be the really bad weather we had last year - We had hardly any apples last year as frosts in late April early May killed off the blossom on the Apple and Cherry tree. It also killed of a miniature Peach tree.
John - was your above question related to my reference to the James Grieve apple and the "bitter pit" condition? If so, I'm afraid I'm not expecting to attend the NEC event but it might be worth asking about the James Grieve.
My son-in-law said he thought the condition might indicate the need for better feeding but who knows? We fed it with potash last year (watered in) and possibly some other feeds (I can't remember now) but the brown flecks were still in many of the fruit. What is interesting (amateur sleuth appearing here) is that some apples escaped the condition. Now how could that happen? Pest rather than disease?
John H and Salino mentioned James Grieve apple earlier. I've got a James Grieve that's been doing well since planting about 4 years ago. Mine has produced fine apples each year except that most of them, when you cut through, have brown flecks throughout the otherwise perfect flesh.
I'm not sure what this is, so I looked through an old Readers' Digest gardening book. The nearest condition I could identify it to was called ''bitterpit"
Is it likely to be "bitterpit"? I'm not convinced because they don't actually taste bitter, but the appearance is offputting.
Does anyone know whether there is any other condition with this description.
Also what is the remedy?
Hi Birdy,
I decided I would like to know the answer to your question anyway in case the problem occurs with my James Grieve so I've emailed Matt Biggs with your question. When I get an answer I'll post it here. John H
Just wanted to share my miracle plants with you all. Moved house 6 years ago and put a lovely "Crimson Pirate" Daylily in a plastic bag where it stayed for 5 years. Last year cleared my front of weeds and planted this up, not believing that it was even still alive! And this is it now:
Sorry try as I might I can't get it to load the right way up! But it's a monster now after living in a sainsbury's bag for 5 years. Next to it is a peony that someone dug up from their garden for me when I moved in 6 years ago and again was just left in a pot. I thought it was dead and threw it in a black bin
liner ready for taking to the local waste recycling centre. I then noticed it was alive in there, and what's more it easily split into two so now I have two amazing peonies in my front border that are about to flower. I can't wait until they do
That's the peony at the other end of the border. Left for dead but now back to life. There's nothing like the anticipation of waiting for beautiful flowers to open.
I've got a deep red Peony that was in the garden when we moved in in 1967. Originally I tried to get rid of it, dug it up & binned it (silly boy!) I must have left a piece of tuber in the ground 'cos the next year a shoot appeared and flowered. My wife asked me to leave it so I did as I was asked (always pays) and it grew & multiplied. Last year we moved it again because it was in the bed we've just rebuilt. We disposed of about 80% of the tubers and the rest has taken off again - it obviously likes where we've put it. Our soil is Ph7 so fairly alkaline in that part of the garden.
So don't worry about moving, replanting etc. if your soils is neutral to alkaline it should be fine. John H
Posts
John - was your above question related to my reference to the James Grieve apple and the "bitter pit" condition? If so, I'm afraid I'm not expecting to attend the NEC event but it might be worth asking about the James Grieve.
My son-in-law said he thought the condition might indicate the need for better feeding but who knows? We fed it with potash last year (watered in) and possibly some other feeds (I can't remember now) but the brown flecks were still in many of the fruit. What is interesting (amateur sleuth appearing here) is that some apples escaped the condition. Now how could that happen? Pest rather than disease?
Nutcutlet - I didn't hear that!
And, no you wouldn't!
I'm done for the day. Night night everyone
Hi Birdy,
I decided I would like to know the answer to your question anyway in case the problem occurs with my James Grieve so I've emailed Matt Biggs with your question. When I get an answer I'll post it here. John H
Zzzzzzzz!
Thanks John - turn out the light please
Just wanted to share my miracle plants with you all. Moved house 6 years ago and put a lovely "Crimson Pirate" Daylily in a plastic bag where it stayed for 5 years. Last year cleared my front of weeds and planted this up, not believing that it was even still alive! And this is it now:
Sorry try as I might I can't get it to load the right way up! But it's a monster now after living in a sainsbury's bag for 5 years. Next to it is a peony that someone dug up from their garden for me when I moved in 6 years ago and again was just left in a pot. I thought it was dead and threw it in a black bin
liner ready for taking to the local waste recycling centre. I then noticed it was alive in there, and what's more it easily split into two so now I have two amazing peonies in my front border that are about to flower. I can't wait until they do
That's the peony at the other end of the border. Left for dead but now back to life. There's nothing like the anticipation of waiting for beautiful flowers to open.
Nice one
Amazing, and they say peonies don't like their roots disturbed!
Thanks! I think all that stuff about peonies is guff. You might find this page interesting:
http://www.claireaustin-hardyplants.co.uk/article/2/how-to-grow-herbaceous-peonies
Bye all off to start the day!
I've got a deep red Peony that was in the garden when we moved in in 1967. Originally I tried to get rid of it, dug it up & binned it (silly boy!) I must have left a piece of tuber in the ground 'cos the next year a shoot appeared and flowered. My wife asked me to leave it so I did as I was asked (always pays) and it grew & multiplied. Last year we moved it again because it was in the bed we've just rebuilt. We disposed of about 80% of the tubers and the rest has taken off again - it obviously likes where we've put it. Our soil is Ph7 so fairly alkaline in that part of the garden.
So don't worry about moving, replanting etc. if your soils is neutral to alkaline it should be fine. John H