Gardeners growing one fruit urged to pick them on specific date

Daily Mirror

3 days ago

Gardening World presenter Monty Don recommends picking this one delicious berry at a particular time of year, otherwise you risk missing out on tasting it at its best
There are few things more delicious or satisfying than tasting your own homegrown fruit – so don't delay picking this one popular berry at its peak.
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With the sun shining and the temperatures warming up, Brits are spending more time in their gardens. One popular activity is undoubtedly growing your own fruit. Not only is a great, wholesome activity that keeps you outdoors, it also comes with numerous other benefits.
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Growing your own fresh produce means you don't have to spray them with any of the nasty pesticides that are commonly found on store-bought fruits. This makes them healthier and also more ethical, as you aren't harming any wildlife.
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Equally, with supermarket prices having risen, it can also save you a lot of money too, as you have your own delicious ingredients growing right in your garden.
Some popular fruits to grow in the UK include strawberries and raspberries, which are both incredibly versatile and which can be incorporated into many favourite desserts.
However, gardening expert Monty Don admits he has a special penchant for raspberries. He writes in his blog: 'I would trade the very best strawberry for any raspberries and the summer fruiting varieties are at their best in July.'
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He explains that raspberries that ripen in summer carry their fruit on the canes that grew the previous year. This means that all the fresh growth made in the current year will crop next July.
Meanwhile, other kinds of raspberries fruit in autumn instead, such as 'Autumn Bliss'. Instead, they produce their fruit on the new season's growth.
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Monty continues: 'There is a freshness and seasonal treat to the summer raspberries that makes them especially good and we often pick a bowl just before supper and eat with a little cream whilst they are still warm from the evening sun. Heaven!'
If you're looking to spend extra time in your garden this month, Monty says there are other key tasks that are best completed in July. One of these includes cutting back hedges.
While you may be tempted to trim hedges that have started to look unruly, it's best to wait until the end of July. This way, you will be less likely to disturb any nesting birds.
This is because many birds in the UK like to build their nests in hedges. They offer them ample shelter and camouflage - which unfortunately also makes them difficult for gardeners to spot.