Glut of early fruit and veg hits UK as climate change closes ‘hungry gap’

A glut of early strawberries, aubergines and tomatoes has hit Britain as the dry, warm weather has eliminated the traditional “hungry gap”, growers have said.

It has been a very dry and sunny spring, with one of the warmest starts to May on record expected. Temperatures could reach 30C at the earliest point on record later this week, forecasters have said.

Nick Haigh, a grower at the Community Farm south of Bristol, said many of their Mediterranean vegetables had come weeks earlier than expected.

“It feels like it’s the middle of May already,” he said, “We have loads and loads of crops right now, tomatoes, aubergines, cucumbers, peppers, they are all ready two or three weeks early. We are crazy busy already. We are feeling the push right now.”

Usually this time of year is known as the “hungry gap”, when winter vegetables have run out and we are waiting for the summer crops to arrive. However, the sunny, dry weather has eliminated this, he said.

“A few months ago we thought it would be the worst hungry gap ever, now we are saying there is not going to be a hungry gap. We got really poor harvests last year, – we didn’t get very much squash, for example – so we didn’t have the storage vegetables that would usually get us through the hungry gap. Last year was awful, it was completely wet.”

The extremes of weather, made more acute by climate breakdown, are catching farmers by surprise as they never know whether they will have to deal with floods or drought.

“You just can’t predict the climate anymore. What might be your predictable dates you might plant things by just don’t work anymore,” he said. “We are having to try to be more adaptable to different techniques based on the climate. It’s keeping us on our toes for sure. Some rain would be great though, we are looking at the weather waiting for the rain.”

Kew Gardens, the science research facility in south-west London, has noticed a glut of berries coming up early.

Hélèna Dove, the head of the kitchen garden at Kew, said: “The recent warm weather is really showing how much our growing seasons are shifting. Traditionally, a good kitchen gardener would be proud to have ripe strawberries by Wimbledon as it would demonstrate their skill and expertise. We already have ripe strawberries in the kitchen garden at Kew Gardens, and it’s only April.”

She said gardeners were experimenting with stone and tropical fruits, which do not usually fare well in the UK’s traditionally mild climate: “The warm spring means crops like citrus, kiwi, and tropical plants are thriving earlier, with longer seasons and better yields. We’re even growing peaches, apricots, and nectarines outside currently, something that would have been unthinkable in previous years due to the risk of late frosts and lack of early pollinators.

“This time of year is also known as the hungry gap for these early pollinators, once the winter crops have ended but the new season’s plantings are not yet ready to harvest, but with plants such as calendula flowering early, there is a reliable food source this year. While some traditional fruits such as apples are struggling, this is an opportunity to rethink what we plant, working with the climate to save energy, water, and potentially even reduce imports.”

Farmers are, on the whole, enjoying the sunny growing season. Dale Robinson, supply chain head at the organic vegetable box company Riverford, said: “This spring has been one of the warmest many of us can remember, bringing a real sense of joy and hope to our fields. Crops like purple sprouting broccoli and wild garlic have thrived, and the early warmth has allowed for timely planting of main crops. It’s a welcome change from the delays caused by last year’s wet winter – the wettest on record.

“While we celebrate these favourable conditions, our growers remain mindful of the increasing unpredictability brought about by climate change. The real challenge lies not in the gradual shifts, but in the erratic weather extremes – sudden frosts, hailstorms, droughts – all of which can undo months of hard work in a single day.”