THE washout summer combined with cutting-edge growing methods has produced the biggest crop of English apples in 20 years, experts have revealed.

Farmers are predicting a record harvest of 160,000 tonnes of eating apples this year compared with 141,000 tonnes in 2014.

A combination of hot and wet weather, new varieties, and improved farming methods means this year's bumper crop is expected to be the largest since 1995.

Here in Herefordshire, however, the mood is one of cautious optimism.

Richard Wheeler, who runs Little Peterstow Orchards near Ross-on-Wye, says the growing season has been fairly good.

"There's plenty of apples on the trees," he said.

"The size of the crop is probably less than last year.

"We had a very poor blossom which is partly why we have small sizes.

"But on the whole it hasn't been a bad growing season."

Mr Wheeler plants seven apples varieties and three pear varieties at the working which is part of a co-operative under the Wye Fruit firm based in Ledbury.

His main customer is Tesco but his products are sold in other UK supermarkets as well.

A regular 15C difference in temperature between day and night during August and early September has helped apple skins become the perfect shade of red.

Anything less than a ten degree drop overnight produces a pale red and green mix of apples.

This year's apples will also taste sweeter as a result of a higher level of natural sugar caused by early spring sunshine.

Last year's crop was less red in colour due to a smaller differential between day and night time temperatures in the latter part of the summer.

Adrian Barlow, chief executive of English Apples and Pears Ltd, said: "The weather this year has played its part but it is only one of the factors which will produce the biggest yield of apples in 20 years.

"We are predicting a bumper crop compared to last year.

"There was no early frost at planting time which meant it was great for pollination but then it was actually too dry in June and July.

"It is hard to believe but some irrigation orchards suffered dehydration. The weather in August was perfect, however, for apples with plenty of hot dry days along with cooler, but not too cold nights, and plenty of rain.

"Farmers have also developed much better methods of growing apples with trees being grown closer together and pruned to allow more light into the trees.

"Orchards are much more ordered with a greater concentration of trees yielding bigger and better fruit.

"The huge amount of different varieties of apples also means there is a much bigger yield expected this year."

Gala apples represent the largest single variety grown this year closely followed by Rubens, Cameos, Zaris.

Newer varieties being grown extensively across Herefordshire include Smittens and Envy apples.

Despite the almost ideal weather conditions for growing apples, Mr Barlow expressed a word of warning for pickers.

He said: "It is best to pick apples when it is dry so we are hoping for plenty of dry days this month to get the best results.

"If it is wet in the orchards pickers are more likely to drop apples or press to hard on their skins which can cause bruising.

"Also the machines can turn orchards into mud baths so we like to pick them when it is dry. So far the forecast looks promising."

The main commercial orchards are here in Herefordshire, along with the South East.