May round-up - Fruit

Thought I'd start off the month with another round-up of what's happening in the garden. It was the first dry day for what feels like a month - a bit chilly but dry. Made a good job of mowing the lawn, edging and weeding the paths, then forking and feeding the moss-riden patches to improve drainage. Misses is very impressed. Anyway, on to the fruit...

Chardonnay grape in the greenhouse is way ahead of it's cousin outside. Have snipped off the leading shoots from the laterals as they have 5 leaves already. No sign of any fruit yet.

Raspberries are coming on well. Tough buggers these are. The gales last week snapped some of the guide strings, so lashed them up with fresh twine.

Cherry has finished flowering. Not sure how much fruit I'll get in the first year.

Many of the shops are starting to discount the soft fruit that are starting to wither and die under the fluorescent lights. I rescued two blackcurrants from Poundland and this one from Wilkos. They fruit on the previous year's stems so will have to wait a while. They seem to be coming back to life though...

The Bramley blossom is nearly finished. Hope the bees have been busy. There are quite a few other local apple and pear trees in flower at the moment, but not sure if the bees have enjoyed the wet weather. Guess we'll see in a few weeks if fruit start to form.

Strawberries are starting to form. they have really enjoyed the rain. Need to put straw around them soon. To keep them off the mud and keep the slugs away.

 The Elstart espalier is blooming really well, about a week behind the Bramley. Need to bring the wire a bit further out from the fence to improve ventilation around the branches as it grows bigger.

Don't think the Fig enjoys the English weather. Will see how it does this summer and may have to keep it permanently in the greenhouse with the Chardonnay.

Next, veg...