Mild winter may reap less fruit ....

Hannah Stephenson finds hardy fruits need time to chill out in the winter to encourage growth of flowers.

THIS year’s mild winter may lead to reduced fruit crops this autumn with a subsequent rise in prices, according to the Royal Horticultural Society.

Most hardy fruit plants need a period of chilling during winter to encourage flowering. Without this cold effect, evidence shows that crops yields, including blackcurrants, cherries and some apple types which have a high chilling requirement, may be reduced.