The UK’s largest ever fruit tree monitoring project will include the observation of peach and apricot tree flowering dates for the first time. Rising temperatures caused by global warming mean peaches and apricots in the UK are more suitable than ever for the UK’s climate ensuring that enough data can be recorded to observe when these trees begin to flower.
Understanding how climate impacts fruit tree blossom is the goal of the University of Reading research team behind FruitWatch. Scientists are appealing for the public’s help to work out if rising temperatures are making peach, apricot, quince, sloe trees and apples, cherry, pear and plum trees flower earlier in the year and how this might vary across different parts of the UK
PhD researcher Chris Wyver, of the University of Reading, is running the project. He said: “FruitWatch is back for a third year in 2024 and it’s bigger than ever before.
“Fruit trees are highly dependent on insect pollination to produce fruit. If rising temperatures are making fruit trees flower earlier, this could confuse bees and negatively impact pollination. Ultimately, this could mean less fruit is produced and supermarkets hike up the prices of apples and pears.”
The research team are eager to receive plenty of submissions in 2024, to get involved, citizen scientists are being asked to make a note and take a photo when a particular fruit tree in their garden, their park, or their allotment comes into bloom.
Participants can submit their records at fruitwatch.org and submissions can be viewed on an interactive map of the UK, photos can also be shared on social media as part of the National Trust’s #BlossomWatch campaign.