Long dry summer produces smaller but higher-quality pumpkins for grower Graham
A DRY SUMMER has led to smaller pumpkins for one of Guernsey’s growers.
But Graham Dorey said he is confident he has enough of the fruit to keep up with demand for Halloween.
Guernsey basked in hundreds of hours of sunshine this summer, with much less rainfall than usual, which hit farmers’ crops.
Mr Dorey has been growing pumpkins for more than 20 years. His 11 vergees of fruit have struggled to grow as large as in previous years.
‘We still have a lot of pumpkins, but the dry weather has certainly affected them,’ he said.
‘We grow lots of different varieties, with different sizes.
‘Some of them are smaller than they would normally be but we are very pleased with the pumpkins after such a dry summer.
‘One thing we haven’t got many of is the 40kg plus – which are super pumpkins. But we have a good selection of all other sizes.’
However, the dry weather has been a blessing in some ways.
‘The quality of the pumpkins is very good, because it has been so dry,’ Mr Dorey said.
‘If it’s wet, we have trouble with rot.
‘The weather has been very good for harvesting.’
The fruit started being harvested, by hand, at the start of September and it took three weeks to pick them all.
