Ivy sloes and chestnuts

[Alan and Anthea]

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As with others the bees are going mad on the ivy and are loaded with pollen; despite having lots of trees to choose from they seem to have zeroed in on one about 2 fields away; they obviously know why.

But while the bees are bringing in the harvest my search for sloes today for the yearly sloe gin was pretty disappointing with most bushes completely bear and only a few small or damaged fruits present. Also noticed most of the chestnut trees are also completely conker free.
Does anyone know the reason for no sloes or chestnuts as I cant remember such a poor crop.
Location is N.Ireland and we have had more than our share of rain this summer.

Alan

 

[REDWOOD]

Plenty of conkers here, come to think of it we have more than our fair share of nuts in Wales . On a serious note last year was not a good year

 

[PBee]

Poor weather when the Blackthorn was in bloom - cold easterly winds.

 

[rockdoc]

Sounds like the op mirrors our experience as we lost all our walnut crop this year. The baby nuts were there mid summer, then the tree aborted and dropped the lot. Last year over 500 nuts, this year non.

 

[BeeP]

Hardly a conker in Newcastle this year. My boy is very distressed. I recall some very wet, cold weather when the chestnuts were in blossom - and no bees. Flying is tricky carrying an umbrella!

 

[garlicpickle]

seen quite a few sloes round about here, but our apple crop is nonexistent. Last year about 150lbs, this year about 3lbs!

 

[butterflydragon]

Apples and Cherries

Hi,
Here in kent the apples are ok but not one cherry on an extremely large tree.
Also noticed a couple of weeks ago a couple of blossoms on a few apple trees.

A few very small conkers hardly any acorns.
Confused or what?.

 

[Luminos]

Also noticed a couple of weeks ago a couple of blossoms on a few apple trees.

A few very small conkers hardly any acorns

...weird apple trees you have in Kent
Welcome to the forum, BTW

 

[alldigging]

We've got strawberries in flower in the garden at the moment.

 

[Nigel2]

Sounds like the op mirrors our experience as we lost all our walnut crop this year. The baby nuts were there mid summer, then the tree aborted and dropped the lot. Last year over 500 nuts, this year non.

500 nuts!!! last year we collected over 70 kilos, but the weather here has also hit the walnuts and we will be lucky to get 20 kilo this year! (and no Apples!)
The bees are busy here on the ivy and with temperatures expected to remain around 22°c for the next few days nodoubt they will continue with this late harvest.

 

[BeeJayBee]

seen quite a few sloes round about here, but our apple crop is nonexistent. Last year about 150lbs, this year about 3lbs!

Similar here.

For the first time we've had no eating apples, no crab apples and no pears. Only about a dozen eating apples survived through to ripening. There were plenty on the trees in June and July but they all vanished during August. Our hazel has died, we think it drowned.

Locally there's very little wild fruit - no sloes, no crab apples, virtually few elderberries and very little Hawthorne (haws). There are no hazelnuts, sweet chestnut and conkers where there are usually plenty, but there is a fair crop of rosehips. All in all, it doesn't promise to be a good winter for wildlife.

But our magnolia has recently come into flower for the second time this year, maybe it's decided that the 'warmer' weather means it's spring?

 

[Davelin]

No sloes at all round here. Reason, it was freezing cold and soaking wet whilst the blackthorn was in flower. Very poor apple crop for same reason, although apparently cider apples flower later so fared a little better, some good news amongst the gloom!

 

[witchcraft]

My crab apple is bearing fruit and flowers as I type. No damsons or cherries and only one pear (that fell off and the hens ate!) this year...

 

[garlicpickle]

I remember it raining hard for a solid week at apple blossom time so I guess the bees just couldn't get out to pollinate the flowers

Quite a few berries on next door's holly, isn't that supposed to be a sign of a hard winter to come, or is that a myth?

 

[Fraise]

Like most in the south we have very few apples and no sloes. We usually leave a lot of apples to feed the birds in winter, so this could be a bad year for our feathered friends.
We have loads of conkers & the squirrels are hiding them all around the garden. (In past years I have not observed this behavior).

 

[Headnavigator]

Plenty of hips, haws and sloes here on the Island (first batch of sloe wine bubbling away as I write) not a lot of apples, and never get to see any nuts because the squirrels always get there first! But the vegetable garden has been a disaster, mostly due to slugs, even old reliables like chard have bolted. Hoping for some fungi in the woods over the next few weeks though.

 

[tkwinston4]

Ditto no sloes and no apples. The annual apple pressing in the village was cancelled because no one had any to press. Field at the back of work was heaving with sloes last year but this year I can only find about 5! They did flower because we had the usual stunning display earlier in the year but obviously my girls could not get out to them. :-(

I have noticed that although there seems to be quite a few conkers around there are no large ones. And the sweet chestnuts seem to have dropped all their nuts when they are not ripe yet, even the squirrels have had trouble collecting all the nuts because there is so many on the floor. Or maybe they don't want them when they aren't ripe?

Acorns seem to be ok tho. Plenty falling.

Oh and I saw some blackberry in flower when walking the dog at lunchtime!

 

[justme]

Almost no acorns, elderberries, horsechestnuts, sloes. No pears, cherries, plums or gages. Several haws, rosehips. 2 apiaries in/near orchards, only fruit on smaller or very sheltered trees. Last year loads of apples at both and damsons in one, very few this year. Still have blackberries all over the place.

 

[stephenpug]

very few conkers no apples,pears,cherries or plums and even though it is my first year very little honey

 

[Alan and Anthea]

Thanks for all the replies it has been interesting hearing of the variations in different crops across the country.
I am sure we will all hope for a more generous harvest next year.
PS
I was a bit worried when Nigel2 and Rocdoc started to compare the size of their walnuts!!! (walnut crops that is).
Regards
Alan