Fruit growers are crossing their fingers for more cold weather across Kent as crops face a race against time to develop their blossom after the warmest December on record.

Cherries, raspberries and blackberries could all potentially suffer because they have not spent enough time in temperatures below 7.2C, which is needed to aid their ability to flower.

Different varieties can require as many as 2,000 so-called chill units but areas like Canterbury have only recorded 535 hours this winter, with just 577 in Newington near Sittingbourne.

The Met Office revealed December was the warmest since records began in 1910, with average temperatures about 4C above average.

Fruit grower Nigel Bardsley is the third generation of his family to work the land at River Farm in Staplehurst, where they produce apples, pears, plums and apricots.

He said: “I’m not very optimistic at the moment.

“We are struggling with chill units. We need another month of cold weather.

“Apples are not too bad but cherries, raspberries and blackberries need far more, as many as 1,000 to 2,000 chill hours.

“I’ve just been to a conference and the first thing everyone wanted to talk about was whether we are getting enough chill units.”

Even if fruit reaches the number of chill hours required, the next worry for farmers is having too much cold weather, which can damage crops when they come to blossom.
“The other problem with the warm December is it’s made some of the buds open quicker,” added Mr Bardsley. “They are blossoming earlier than anticipated which can damage them.”

Apples need at least 820 hours of temperatures below 7.2C to deliver the perfect pomme, while pears need 620 hours.

AC Goatham & Son grows more than one in five of the apples sold in the UK, equating to 150 million each year, produced across 16 farms and 20 partner farms all over the county.

The Hoo-based business also accounts for one in three of the conference pears eaten in the country but is far from cultivating a crowning crop.

Technical director Nigel Stewart said: “To a lot of people, growing apples and pears is as simple as planting the tree and waiting for the fruit to blossom but that isn’t the case.

“There is a lot of hard work that goes in to growing fruit, especially over the the winter months.

“We keep a close eye on the weather over winter and keep a track record of the number of chill hours. If the trees get insufficient chilling, then they may suffer from delayed or uneven flowering and leafing which can lead to poorer crops.”

According to AC Goatham, the most chill hours in Kent have been felt in Sittingbourne at 788, with Ashford on 768, Faversham 746 and Marden 711. Rochester stands at 646.