I’m pretty confident that none of us fruit growers, allotmenteers and gardeners have had time to be bored during lockdown, but if you do have the odd hour on your hands, how about writing a contribution to the next Newsletter? It’s due for publication in early July, and contributions should be sent to the Editor by June 10, please. 

The April newsletter is with the printers and should be sent out to members very soon. Our newsletter editor has had a difficult time pulling all the information together for this one, as events were moving quickly and future plans having to be changed almost daily. As a result the ‘diary and forthcoming events’ section will most likely have changed again by the time you receive it so we will try to post any changes and updates here and on our facebook page as they happen.

This is the situation as of 29^th March:

Shows and events – all shows and events are cancelled up to and including the Great Yorkshire Show. At the moment the RHS still has the Tatton Park Flower Show scheduled for the 22^nd – 25^th July but this may change, we are due to have a stand at the show if it goes ahead. The next NFG event will be our annual fruit show in September.

Meetings the next meeting for Northern Fruit Group members will be the AGM in November.

Teaching Gardens with the likelihood of even more restrictions being introduced both sites have been closed down and readied for a period of inactivity.

Meteorological spring began on the first of March and the new growing season is fast approaching. The early blossom is out and we are busy planning ahead for our shows and events over the coming few months. There will be full details in your April newsletter and if you have any articles or information for inclusion they need to reach the newsletter editor by 10^th March. The newsletter should reach all members during the first week in April, if you are not yet a member click on the link on this page for details.

A New Year and a new growing season is just round the corner, we would like to wish everyone a happy and productive 2020. For members, annual subscriptions are now due, if you do not renew by direct debit, you can find a form which was enclosed with the October newsletter or click on the link at the side of the page to go to the membership forms.

Your January newsletter will be arriving in the next couple of weeks with details of all our activities and courses over the next few months. There is also a range of interesting articles covering everything from new ideas in growing blueberries, a report on the progress of the blueberry trial, ideas for labels that don’t fade, a look back at a gardeners diaries from the past, the results of one members eco friendly war on beasties, more on the history of apples and even something about growing kiwi fruit. Plenty to keep you amused while the long dark evenings continue.

Our Annual General Meeting will be held at 1.30pm on Saturday November 9, 2019, in the Jubilee Room at Harlow Carr Gardens. If you are attending, please bring with you your membership card, or wear your NFG sweat shirt, to get free admission to the Garden.

The AGM is very brief and will be followed by a talk by Paul Cook, at present curator of Harlow Carr and previously curator of Ness Garden on the Wirral (originally the University of Liverpool Botanic Garden). These are two very different garden situations, the Wirral being a relatively warm site but exposed to sea winds from Liverpool Bay whilst we know the cool and normally damp situation at Harlow Carr. 

We will be interested to hear what he thinks about Harlow Carr, which is the topic of his talk

Our annual apple event will take place at RHS Harlow Carr gardens from 30^th October to 3^rd November. The display of locally grown apples will be in the greenhouse with apple identification in the lodge. Why not come along to see the huge number of apple varieties that can be grown in the north and get advice on growing fruit at home. If you are bringing apples for identification please bring 3 representative fruit from the same tree.

As summer draws to a close it is nearly time for our very own fruit show which will be held on Saturday 7th September in the Sunley Room of the Bramall Learning Centre, Harlow Carr. Entries are restricted to members of NFG and the RHS. So why not have a look around your ripening fruit and see what you might like to put on display? Full details of all the different classes, plus useful information about showing fruit, were enclosed with the July newsletter.
There are novice classes especially for those new to showing and anyone may enter the open classes. There are prize cards and money for 1st , 2nd and 3rd places and a special prize for the exhibitor with the most points in the novice classes and the most points overall in the show. Don’t worry if you are not sure how to stage your fruit, there will be other more experienced members there who will be more than willing to help you.
Remember, nothing ventured – nothing gained, it could be you walking off with the prize money. So go on have a go, it would be good to fill the tables and demonstrate how well fruit can be grown in the North.
Setting up takes place in the morning then the show will be open to the public from 2.30 pm until 4.00 pm. Presentation of the prizes will be at 3.30 pm. At the request of Harlow Carr, to allow the public to view the show, exhibits should not be removed until after 4.00 pm.