Out of a 4ft (120cm) row of Polka raspberries growing in a narrow strip of soil less than 1ft (30cm)wide, I have picked almost a full bowl of raspberries every single day for over a week. And more are still to come. And if you think that's it, Polka is a double-cropper which means that the new canes that have sprung up in the last few weeks will provide more fruit in autumn, should the weather be kind enough. The loganberry which I transplanted from a tub into the soil at the corner of the garden, in the 90 degree angle between two fences, is providing fruit although not as heavily as it once did before yours truly started giving it a hard time and moving it from pillar to post. I'm surprised it has provided me with any fruit at all. I'm actually surprised it survived! Yet it has, and more are ripening, and the new shoots which have sprung up which will, hopefully, provide fruit next year seem vigorous enough and healthy.
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| Polka raspberries and loganberries, 7 July 2014 |
In fact, in all the years that I have grown Polka raspberry and the loganberry vine I have never, touch wood, had any disease or seen any sign of insect infestation on the plants or fruit. I have never had to spray the plants for disease or insects and can, generally, eat the fruit straight off the canes although it's not really wise. A funny thing is that I have protected the plants with netting to stop the birds having a go at them and I have shared the fruit with the birds by putting some on the complete bird station for them, yet they seem to have very little interest in it! Can you believe that?
I wonder if the birds will have the same attitude to the cherry crop. Prunus Avium Stella Gisela 5 has been temperamental this year. Bad weather does that to me too. Although it had a heavy display of white flowers in spring, and a large number of embryo cherries developing, it started dropping the cherries before they started to swell. I understand that this can be a sign of a cherry tree under stress. I thought I would have no cherries at all but, lo and behold, there are a dozen or so swelling up nicely and turning red. Bet the birds get there first because I am not planning on messing around with netting for the sake of a dozen cherries.
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| Prunus avium 'Stella', Gisela 5, 07 July 2014 |
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| Prunus avium 'Stella', Gisela 5, 07 July 2014 |