The fruit garden in July

Apples

Thin if the trees are overcrowded. Remove from the branches, blemished and ‘King’ fruits’. If the branches of the tree are still heavily laden then use a V-shaped stake to support whilst the fruit matures.  Check for Apple scab: large, dark or black spots on the leaves and fruit.  Check for single holes in apple skins as this could be damage from the Codling Moth caterpillar.  Check trees for patches of white fluff which contain Woolly aphids. They do become more of a hazard as the year progresses so it is better to catch them earlier in the year if possible.

Keep large fruited apples well watered in order to avoid problems with Bitter pit.


Apricots

Protect maturing fruit from birds. If the trees are trained, it is easier to cover with a net.


Blackberries

New canes need to be tied in and trained but make sure you keep old and new apart in order to make pruning in autumn easier.  Plants can be propagated with long, lax stems by tip layering.


Blueberries

Protect the fruit from birds with nets.  If you are thinking of growing these plants, check the ph in your soil as they need an acidic soil of around 5.5 to 5 to grow. The other alternative is to grow them in containers where you can control the acidity (ericaceous compost).

Cherries

Fruit picking then prune.

Currants (Black)

Check plants for signs of Big bud mite or reversion virus. The symptoms are swollen buds, coarse leaves and reduced fruiting yields. There is no cure so dig up all affected plants and burn.

Currants (Red and White)

Pick the fruit in bunches or still on the stalk as this will keep them better and the taste will be better.  Cut the sideshoots back to 4 or 5 leaves, or to just after the fruit clusters. The effect of this will encourage ripening as there will be more sun to get to the fruit and also encourages the formation of buds for the following year’s growth and control aphid attacks on the new growth.  Red blisters which are raised on the leaves as these indicate Currant blister aphid.


Gooseberries

Cut the sideshoots back to 4 or 5 leaves, or to just after the fruit clusters. The effect of this will encourage ripening as there will be more sun to get to the fruit and also encourages the formation of buds for the following year’s growth and control aphid attacks on the new growth.

Check plants for American gooseberry mildew and Gooseberry sawfly damage.  Pick the fruit in bunches or still on the stalk as this will keep them better and the taste will be better. 



Grapes

Leaves which are shading fruit can be removed to make the ripening process quicker. Shoots which have formed on pinched out grape laterals can be stopped at one leaf. Grapes which have been grown indoors can be harvested when the skins are translucent.

Nectarine

Protect maturing fruit from birds. If the trees are trained, it is easier to cover with a net.

Peach

Protect maturing fruit from birds. If the trees are trained, it is easier to cover with a net.

Pear

Check for Pear scab: large, dark or black spots on the leaves and fruit. Check also for Pear rust which appears on the upper surface of leaves as bright orange spots. Juniper berries also carry the disease.  Check trees for patches of white fluff which contain Woolly aphids. They do become more of a hazard as the year progresses so it is better to catch them earlier in the year if possible.

Plums

Fruit picking then prune the plant.

Raspberries

When the plants have finished cropping, promptly cut out the old canes. Pick summer fruiting varieties.

Strawberries

Fruit picking! Continue to peg down runners which will have the effect of encouraging plantlets to root for themselves.

Remove any leaves which go mouldy or fruits which are damaged to prevent the spread of Botrytis (Grey Mould).  Keep an eye on the plants performance.  The yield of the plant will decline after about three years so it might be time to buy some new plants in for planting in September.

General

• Water all plants on a regular basis to encourage healthy fruits to develop.
• Water tree, bush and cane fruit thoroughly once every 10 days during conditions which are dry. Applying a mulch will help the soil to retain moisture.
• Cane fruit can be propagated with long, lax stems by tip layering.