Bumper crops of pumpkins at National Trust gardens in Devon and Cornwall in time for Halloween

The National Trust has confirmed a bumper harvest at many of its gardens, including in Devon and Cornwall, with pumpkins promised for Halloween.

Fruit and vegetable crops are ripening and ready for harvest weeks earlier than usual. Despite the UK experiencing a hot summer with drought conditions recorded in many places, gardeners are reporting an unusually abundant year for orchard fruit and pumpkins, thought to be the result of a combination of weather factors including last year's wet conditions, the warm and dry spring and plenty of sun.

This year at Cotehele in Cornwall – site of the Trust's only Mother Orchard which is home to 125 varieties of apple tree and three other orchards – the trees have produced thousands of apples far earlier than expected. Head gardener David Bouch said: "Despite the record-breaking temperatures we have had an amazing crop of apples, due to the combination of last year's weather and the warm, mild spring resulting in bountiful blossom. "Our apples ripened around three weeks early, so we had to make the decision to put on an extra weekend of apple picking to ensure the apples didn't go to waste with visitors able to pick their own to enjoy at home."

At Buckland Abbey near Plymouth in Devon, the apple harvest is also running ahead of schedule, while the kitchen garden is overflowing with squash and pumpkins. Head gardener Sam Brown commented: "We have about 50 per cent more squash and pumpkins than usual. We'd normally harvest them in mid-October but are about to start now – around six weeks earlier. There are 20 varieties this year, alongside apples that we've been picking since August."

At Arlington Court in North Devon, a combination of mild spring and so many pollinators about, the apple trees have done really well this year. "From just two of our many espaliers we picked more than 60 kilos of Devonshire Quarrenden, the best crop we've ever had from them. Alongside varieties like Newton Wonder and Veitch's Perfection, it's been a great harvest to give to the tea-room, where the apples have gone into compotes, scones, crumbles and more," said Hannah Phillips, senior gardener.

At Killerton near Exeter, 2025 has been a bumper year for all the trees in the orchards. With plums, apples and pears fairing particularly well. It was a great year for blossom, with little frosts, rain or wind allowing for more fruit to set. The apples and pears have matured two to three weeks earlier than expected, and the team have had to bring apple picking and pressing forward by a week, so there are apples to produce the estate apple juice and cider.

At Trelissick in Cornwall, Assistant Head Gardener Wella Chubb says: "Thanks to the warm and sunny spring bringing some much-needed pollinating insects into the garden, we're now having a fantastic year for apples."
 

Top tips from National Trust experts for caring pumpkins and apples on the lead-up to Halloween

-Pick and handle apples gently to avoid bruising. Check apples have no blemishes and are dry before storing

-Small quantities of apples can be stored in the salad tray in a fridge. To store large quantities of apples, ideally wrap your fruit in paper (newspaper is fine) and then keep it cool. An unheated garage is a good place. Check your apples once a week and remove any with decay or mould, to stop it spreading.

-Some National Trust places, store their apples in traditional wooden racks. But you can use crates – just make sure fruit isn’t touching and has good airflow.

-If storing your apples is tricky, consider making juice or stewing the fruit with sugar and freezing them for use in crumbles or pies.  Alternatively put slices of apple into a low oven and dehydrate them to make apple crisps.

-You can’t control the weather, but looking after your apple tree/s will maximise chances of a good harvest. In winter, prune out diseased/dying/crossing branches and aim to create an open ‘goblet’ shape that lets the air and sunlight in.  Removing straggly new growth in summer will encourage blossom.

-Choose an apple variety bred for your local conditions. Your local fruit nursery, fruit group or local National Trust property can help.

-Pumpkins should be picked with a bit of stalk attached and then placed in a dry, well-ventilated place like a greenhouse or sunny windowsill to dry out for a couple of weeks to help them ‘cure’.  After this they are ready to be stored almost anywhere until Halloween or beyond. 

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk