The first winter pruning of 19,000 Sweet Sensation pears is underway at East Malling Research's (EMR) 7ha orchard in Kent, UK – the country's largest orchard of the variety.
The Sweet Sensation orchard is the result of a collaboration between East Malling Trust and AG Thames, a major supplier of UK and internationally-sourced fruit.
Planted in May 2011, the Sweet Sensation pear orchard – a Dutch-developed blush Comice pear variety – is fully irrigated and fertigated and designed to benefit from the latest developments in intensive pear production techniques from around the world.
The East Malling team, led by far manager Graham Caspell, is working alongside Jan Peters of Dutch agronomist Fruit Consult BV on the pruning project.
'The crucial task of winter pruning will shape the trees ad help us create what we believe will be one of, if not the, most productive pear orchards in the country,' said Caspell. 'The time spent over the next three months will not only play an important part in determining this year's yield, and the orchard's first harvest, but the early life of the orchard, and so it is of paramount importance that our team gets it right.'
At the heart of the new orchard is the use of growing methods that have been developed in the Netherlands and trialled at East Malling in the Sainsbury's Concept Pear orchard, which is also planted in conjuntion with AG Thames.
'The UK climate, and Kent climate in particular, is suitable for growing Sweet Sensation, which is a variety that has a very attractive appearance and a delicious, sweet juicy flavour,' noted Francis Wheatley of AG Thames. 'Expert winter pruning has been shown to be an integral factor in the long-term success of pear orchards.'
The Sweet Sensation orchard, also understood to be the largest new pear orchard planted in the UK in recent years, consists of 18,886 Sweet Sensation trees, alongside 4,000 Conference pear trees as pollinators. AG Thames has the exclusive rights to plant and market the Sweet Sensation pears grown in the UK.
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