What I harvested today 2025

[Jungle Jane]

This is a historically hot summer we’re having,a lot of ladybirds in Essex this year too. I thankfully haven’t seen a wasp,they have no business here
Yesterday I picked three little cucumbers,good to see lots of tomatoes on the plants

[Bren In Pots]

Cucumber, toms and raspberries.

[Jungle Jane]

Today I harvested some Charlotte potatoes for dinner & one little cucumber that can be for tomorrow I’ve already eaten two today. I’ve been shading the cucumbers the last couple of days because the leaves wilt a bit,they look like sad plants when they wilt,it’s clever how plants communicate through their leaves

[Nicos]

Potatoes and chives

[ameno]

Another big punnet of apricots, a few more apples, the last of the jostaberries, and a large beetroot.

[Penellype]

Another big punnet of apricots, a few more apples, the last of the jostaberries, and a large beetroot.

Do you grow your apricots in a greenhouse? I have a "patio" apricot tree, variety Aprigold which is supposed to be ok outside, but I have had it for 7 years now and not had a single fruit. It flowers, but despite my best efforts to pollinate it, the flowers always fall off. It is currently in a 30 litre bucket, and I am undecided as to whether to plant it in the ground or take it to the tip.

Any help would be much appreciated!

[Bren In Pots]

2 more Beth Alpha cucs. Black cherry, radishes. spring onions, parsley, oregano and raspberries

Lots of Mini bell toms that I roasted and froze.

[Jungle Jane]

Three mini cucumbers & some charlottes to take to mums tomorrow.

[Nicos]

Mitzuna to put in the salad

[ameno]

Do you grow your apricots in a greenhouse? I have a "patio" apricot tree, variety Aprigold which is supposed to be ok outside, but I have had it for 7 years now and not had a single fruit. It flowers, but despite my best efforts to pollinate it, the flowers always fall off. It is currently in a 30 litre bucket, and I am undecided as to whether to plant it in the ground or take it to the tip.

Any help would be much appreciated!

No, I just have two apricot trees in the ground.
I live in Somerset, my garden is south-east facing. One tree (Goldcot) is planted behind the shed so it gets a bit of shelter, and I bought it January 2021. The other (Kioto) is planted in open ground, and I bought it January 2019 . Both are now fairly large (10 feet tall, 7 feet wide).
This is the first year I have gotten a crop from Goldcot. Kioto has cropped for the past three years, but this is the first time I have gotten a good sized crop.
Partly I think this is just because the trees are more mature now and produce more flowers, but mostly it was the mild, dry March we had. No hard frosts to kill the blossoms, but also very little rain during blossom time (which will wash out the pollen and also prevent pollinating insects from flying).

Kioto is definitely one of the most reliable varieties for this country as it flowers pretty late for an apricot (second week of March for me usually), which is what you need in this country. It also produces very large fruit (a lot of them a the size of the peaches you buy in the supermarket), which means you get more weight of fruit even if not very many flowers managed to pollinate.
You'll see some guides to growing apricots in this country recommending early ripening varieties to ensure that they ripen in time in our poor summers, but this is complete nonsense written by people who have never actually grown apricots. Apricots ripen very early. Even the latest variety in the poorest of summers should be ripe by late August or early September. The trees themselves are also very cold hardy. Blossom problems in the spring are the most important factor by far, which is why a late flowering one is best.

[Penellype]

Thanks ameno. I think the issue is probably that the climate in York is not really suitable for apricots regardless of what people say. If I had a nice, sheltered south facing wall to grow it against I might be lucky, but unless I give it a prime position on the allotment, which seems very risky and likely to be a waste of space, it is always going to get quite a bit of shade. I certainly haven't room for a 10ft tree - this is supposed to be a dwarf patio variety.

[Andraste]

On Friday/Saturday, another Cucumber 'Mini Munch'.

Yesterday, 2/3 Gooseberry Hinnonmaki Yellow, the first Gooseberry Captivator (didn't weigh - about 100g), big tub of Mangetout 'Carouby de Maussane', 2 massive Lettuce 'Catalogna', 1 Lettuce 'Romaine Ballon' & enough Loganberries & Tayberry 'Buckingham' to cover the bottom of a tub.

[Nicos]

Just over 1kg from one tiny Charlotte seed potato

[Peanut]

Blackberries, blueberries, cucumbers and courgettes, well at least I am predictable!

[Peanut]

Just over 1kg from one tiny Charlotte seed potato

Wow! That is impressive!