A pumpkin farmer says he is “gutted” after heatwaves and persistent dry spells left half of his crop ruined.
Chris Sadler, from Sandy Bottom Farm in Hedon, East Yorkshire, said: “It’s just frustrating because you try so hard and you try and find your way to getting a good crop then, at the last minute, you just get blazing heat.”
He said the weather would have an impact on how many pumpkins the farm would have for Halloween, but was confident they could still put on a good show as they had planted more pumpkins than needed.
Meanwhile, Marie Morrell, who co-owns Tattershall Farm Park, near Lincoln, has invested in irrigation which she said has been “an absolute lifesaver” for her pumpkins.
Sandy Bottom is a family-run arable farm that launched a pick-your-own pumpkin patch seven years ago.
Sadler said a lot of the farm’s income comes from pick-your-own events, as commodity prices are poor compared to the price of arable farming.
“We’ve just had to diversify,” he said. “We’re glad we did when we did seven years ago. It’s very important, but every year is a challenge.”
However, Sadler said a lack of rain meant this year had been his worst yet for pumpkin farming.