Question:

I live in Co Tyrone and we have late frost sometimes in spring. I would like some apple and pear trees. Could you suggest which varieties I should get please? I would like cooking and eating apple types.
Thank you.

Answer:

Frost during blossom time is a problem to all apple & pear trees. Frost can burn blossoms to the extent that they are destroyed. There is no genetic resistance as such. A site may not be suitable if it is a frost pocket, but if it thaws easily and isn’t a pocket then hopefully damage will be minimum. Assess your site and if it tends to frost more than other fields close by then it is either unsuitable, or suitable subject to changes.
The changes necessary are things like creating better ventillation through hedges or even creating a gap in a hedge to allow air flow to allow the cold air escape. Increasing light penetration particularly in morning for an early thaw… etc  you may need a local knowledgeable person to visit the site to assess what could be done individual to the site…
Pears tend to flower earlier than apples in April, while apples flower mainly in may. There are variations from place to place and site to site. On our website we indicate flowering times in a matrix of all the varieties – early, mid or late season.
An early flowering variety such as irish peach flowers approx 1st week of May.
A mid flowering variety such as kemp flowers approx 2nd week of may.
And late flowering varieties such as White Moss are after that…
Our website also shows region of origin so you could choose from nearest neighbours such as Armagh or Antrim…
The matrix also indicates cookers and eaters and each variety has a short description to help you choose photo, texture, juiciness etc…
Hope this is of help

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