Sunset - review

The real 'star' of this season has been our crop of Sunset, which have ripened superbly well. I'm really impressed by the quality of the fruit, crisp, sweet and aromatic. They seem to have coloured rather more than in previous years, perhaps this explains the lovely flavour. It's sometimes described as a Cox 'substitute' as it is very easy to grow and prolific. This isn't really fair as it's a different kind of apple, juicier and sweeter, but equally good and very heavy cropping. I'll be sad when they are over.

I don't know why I haven't recorded the crop weight of Sunset before, it always produced well, I'd estimate between 3 and 5 kgs

Today's pickings

Total 4 boxes. Smaller quanitities (1-2kg) of Ellison's Orange, Sunset and Egremont. Very disappointing yields from apple cordons. I need to do something to reduce vigour, I might start with root pruning.

Blossom - Sunset

The Sunset cordon is beautiful this year, absolutely covered in blossom this year, hopefully providing lots of pollen for Irish Peach and Vistabella which are also in full blossom concurrently.

Crop: Sunset

Not a heavy crop of Sunset this year, though the few fruits were of a good size consequently. I left them too long on the tree, and a couple had started to rot in situ, without any help from wasps. If it sets a good crop next year, I must remember to thin them, as it makes a lot of difference.

Sunset: Blossom

Rather disappointing inflorescences this year, as Sunset usually produces and sets quite an abundance. A little behind the other varieties just described.