The effects of climate change are due to hit apple horticulture according to experts:
Apples such as pippin or the the ancient nonpareil, grown in Britain since the 1500s, are struggling in the changed climate because there are not enough “chilling hours” for the trees to lie dormant in winter and conserve energy for growing fruit.
Scientists at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, are planting 40 apple trees, a third of which are heritage varieties that once grew in its Georgian kitchen gardens. Another third are new varieties bred to need less cold over winter, and the final third are from warmer countries including South Africa. The varieties will be compared to see which has the best crop in London’s warming temperatures.
via The Guardian
Hot apple take: I prefer fuji and gala apples from Japan and New Zealand, respectively, but not at the expense of climate change and a likely hike in costs. And coupled with bee population reductions and ongoing shortages, things aren’t looking great for fruit and veg in the UK.
Apple related: Indo apples, samurai, and Japanese farmers