Orchard Seasons in Devon

The orchard year at Bowhayes Farm in Venn Ottery, East Devon — pruning in winter, blossom in spring, fruit building through summer, harvest in autumn. Weather has the final say on most of it.

Winter

Pruning, planning and structure.

Winter is when the shape of the orchard gets decided. Pruning is the one job here that is genuinely done by hand, tree by tree, opening the canopy so light and air can get in and the fruit can ripen properly.

It is also the season for repairs, tracks, fencing, guards, and for planning the year ahead — including new planting, which goes in while the trees are dormant.

Spring

Blossom, frost risk and fruit set.

Blossom usually arrives from late April into May, and it does not wait for anyone. There are only a handful of days each year when the orchard is fully in blossom.

A late frost during blossom can take a large part of the crop, and there is very little to be done about it. Pollination follows, then fruit set — the first real indication of what kind of season it is going to be.

Summer

June Drop, mowing and watching the fruit build.

In early summer the trees shed fruit they cannot carry. This is the June Drop, and it is normal — the tree thinning its own crop to a load it can ripen.

Orchard management through the summer is largely mechanical: mowing between the rows, keeping the alleys clear, keeping access open for machinery. Beyond that it is mostly monitoring — fruit size, tree health, and the weather, which decides how much sugar the fruit builds.

Autumn

Ripening, harvest and the start of fermentation.

Cider apple harvest takes place in autumn, with timing varying by variety and season. Fruit is gathered from the rows, brought in by tractor and moved on quickly — cider apples do not improve for sitting about.

Pressing and the beginning of fermentation follow. From there the year slows down again, and attention turns back to pruning.

Seasonal Questions

The varieties behind all this are set out in traditional cider apples, and the season as it actually happened is written up in the orchard journal.

Blossom and harvest are also the two times worth visiting the orchard.