A pumpkin shortage across Hampshire in the run-up to Hallowe’en has been caused by excessive wet weather and poor pollination due to cold wet conditions.
This year’s harvest has been disappointing. Seeds struggled to germinate in the cold and wet that was a feature of this summer.
Despite seeing a dip in pumpkin harvest, we are still stocking a wide variety of pumpkins and gourds.
Warm temperatures and ample sunlight are essential for pumpkins to grow to their full size. Countrywide, it has been the coolest summer on record since 2015, which has caused yield problems for farmers across the UK.
Pumpkins are heavily reliant on bees for pollination, and when germination and bee activity is disrupted by cooler temperatures or rain, the plants don’t get the pollination they need to produce healthy fruits.
Bees are vital not only for pumpkins, but for many crops that rely on their hard work. The drop in bee activity because of colder weather and a lack of sunshine is something we’ve been watching closely, and it’s a reminder of how essential pollinators are to a sustainable environment and successful farming.
We are committed to practising sustainable farming all year round. We enhance natural pollination by introducing bee hives directly into the polytunnels for our soft fruit plants. By supporting these vital pollinators, we have improved our soft fruit yield and contributed to the overall sustainability of British agriculture.
We also built a reservoir that can collect up to 2.5 million litres of rainwater, which is recycled to be used for crop irrigation. This practice significantly reduces reliance on local water supplies and minimises environmental impact.
