It’s an exciting time in our apple orchards in August as a large portion of the work is behind us and we’re at a stage where we can see the next batch of beautiful JAZZ™ Apples on the trees.
Some early varieties of apples are already being picked and ready to eat, while other late croppers like the JAZZ™ variety are still 4- 6 weeks away.
That doesn’t mean there isn’t any work to be getting on with though as it’s a vital time for growers and their teams to ensure this year’s JAZZ™ crop will be as good as ever.
Hot Stuff
The big story this summer across the UK has been the heat and lack of rain which has undoubtedly made it more challenging for our growers.
While the drought has given the growers plenty more to think about and created more work, the one thing the hot weather does guarantee is that we’re in for a fantastic, juicy sweet crop of British JAZZ™ come November.
Jobs in the Orchard
Many of the jobs in the orchard in August are centred around preparing for the picking season. That means making as many decisions and doing as much work now so that there is less to think and worry about when the glorious JAZZ™ Apples are ready.
After all, once the picking season begins, it is an incredibly busy period where we have to get the fruit off the trees in their optimum condition, as quickly as possible.
We only want our trees to produce a certain amount of apples each year, otherwise, they will fancy a rest next year. We also need the apples to be a certain size so over the next few weeks our growers’ teams will be carefully removing smaller apples or any apples that don’t fit the JAZZ™ quality specifications.
Wildflowers
With many of our growers planting wildflowers in 2020 and 2021, it is this spring and summer that we have really been seeing the rewards with incredible displays in the orchards. We’re now at the end of the wildflower season with only a few still flowering but they will be back again next year.
Our growers are already seeing the benefits when it comes to the number of bee species, pollinators and other beneficial pest species being seen.
Our Hero Pickers Return
It’s also been a great pleasure to see a host of familiar faces this month as many of our seasonal pickers return for the key work season. We’re blessed to have many of the same characters coming back year after year, which helps to give our orchards a family feel and ensure we have the best, most experienced people to help get the amazing apples from the trees to your tables and lunch boxes.
