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  • From: Alan Haigh <alandhaigh@gmail.com>
  • To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [NAFEX] climate, weather and fruit
  • Date: Sat, 25 Jul 2009 17:29:18 -0400

If this was a meteorological forum a continuing debate about man-made climate change would be apropos (although in that group it seems the debate is mostly over for reasons that are debated by non-experts).  I suppose that when a new story comes out suggesting the affects of this change on fruit production it is appropriate to let us all see it.  Most of the follow-up flurry seems to me like a waste of space here, although you can always come up with a slightly new angle in the debate, such as how experts have been wrong before and such.  I am always tempted to debate such assertions if I disagree with them but I think another forum should be used for the task.
 
We are in the midst of a very unusual growing season- this is about weather and not climate.  I'd like to know how everyone is doing getting their fruit up to harvest.  Here we are having way, way too much rain and relatively cool weather (they'll be no "where's the climate change" jokes here).  Tomatoes are almost impossible with blight already shrinking most of the vines after ripening too little fruit.  Peppers are sadly stunted but shaping up for some kind of harvest.  Anything green is big and green with peas, chard, squash, broc and anything not needing a lot of heat thriving.
 
I finally harvested a decent crop of apricots, mostly Alfreds, on my own site after years of disappointment.  They are too small and ugly for commercial purposes but are rich and quite tasty.  My micro climate definitely does not favor this species although nearby clients have much more productive trees.  The reason they are ugly is partially because they are Alfreds and partially because I used no fungicide.  That they didn't rot this season is a testament of some resistance, I think.  Alfreds are very small and not highly colored so probably relatively unattractive to birds and squirrels.
 
Blueberries and raspberries are loving the rain and still manage to be flavorfull and amazingly productive. 
 
This is the first year that I should have squirted some Orbit or Indar on my Methely plums as the brown-rot is terrible- glad I treat my clients with a more intense program.  Methely is usually early enough to ripen without this help here.  The Shiros are starting to ripen with a lot of cracking on the fruit closest to time- not a good sign but absolutely expected.
 
Harrow Diamond peaches are small and also suffering a bit for lack of BR control but some are fairly good, although with all the cloud cover and rain, not as good as usual.  Early Majic Jap. plum is not as much like Santa Rosa as Hiltop advertised, at least under these adverse conditions.  It's more like a tarter Shiro with some blush on some and full red color on others.  Only the first few fruit have ripened so it's too early even to evaluate even for one season.  There's no rot, but I sprayed them.  There's also no cracking, which spray can't stop.  I realize that one season is only evidence anyway.
 
I wonder if my Redhavens will get up any sugar this year- last they were as bland and beautiful as a stereotype Malibu blond.  Fruit can't get away with just being good looking, however- well maybe for a single season. 
 
I haven't done any mowing around my orchard trees lately, hoping it will help get up the brix in spite of all the surplus water. 
 
I'll keep you all posted, there's a lot to come and the drama mounts.  Will the nectarines be hopelessly cracked?  Will late peaches have time to ripen?  Will the surplus water turn my apples into tree cucumbers?  Stay tuned. 



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