Tooty fruity

This is going to come as a huge surprise to some but I've discovered in the last few days that I'm rather partial to Cox. Indeed, for the last few days I've not been able to get enough Cox. In the past, whenever I've exhibited apples it's always been for the late August/early September period when I've required a specimen for the single flower/fruit/veg class, or a plate of 5 dessert apples a class which I actually won at Seagrave Show this year. As I only have a single Cox's Orange Pippin tree it has invariably been a Cox that I have slapped down on the table alongside a dahlia and a carrot. Whenever I've popped one of these cox into my mouth after the show I've always spat it out as it's been a bitter taste. In truth it's just not been ripe as I've now discovered when I picked all the remaining fruit off my tree last weekend. The taste is a lot sweeter and melts nicely on the tongue now I've allowed them to ripen properly on the tree into October. It just proves that the longer you can leave a more mature Cox the nicer it tastes and I would certainly recommend that you all eat more Cox and keep the British apple flag flying high.

Sometimes I'm so childish it's positively pathetic!

Getting fruity

At Sutton Bonington there is a class for one flower, one veg and one fruit. As I only had one apple tree in the past I have always had to rely on an apple. But being a scabby Cox it often lets me down in the class. So I'm very happy that for the first time in 8 years since I planted it my fig tree has got some fruit on it. I gave it a drastic pruning in the Spring and it certainly seems to have responded by setiing 5 small fruitlets high up. I hope the birds don't like them!

Just in case they do, my apple tree has plenty of small fruits showing before the inevitable 'June drop'.