Prince William discovers simple frost-busting trick for better crops

Prince William has discovered a surprisingly simple way farmers are protecting their apple crops from frost.

The Prince of Wales visited Great Tre-Rhew Farm last Thursday as part of a trip to Wales focused on how communities and farmers are adapting to increasingly unpredictable weather.

Farmers Jim and Kate Beavan explained that they had replanted their apple trees on a north-facing slope, causing the trees to flower later in the year. 

The delay meant the blossoms avoided the last spring frost, helping the farm produce a better crop of fruit. 

Orchard guidance from the National Institute of Agricultural Botany notes that careful site selection can reduce the risk of spring frost, while the RHS advises gardeners to consider sheltered positions and avoid spots where cold air collects.

William’s visit began in Skenfrith, a small village in south-east Wales that has endured four major floods in just six years. During Storm Claudia last winter, the river burst its banks, with floodwater reaching waist height and residents having to be rescued by boat.

At Great Tre-Rhew Farm, William saw how the landscape is being adapted to help slow the movement of water, including through tree planting. 

The farm works with environmental charity Stump Up For Trees, which has set out to plant one million native trees across South Wales, including in the Bannau Brycheiniog.

Stump Up For Trees director Jenny Knight said the Prince joked that “one pint a day keeps the doctor away”, before William saw that he would stick to just one pint because the cider is “8%!”

Noticing that the hole had already been dug for him, the William joked, "Here’s one I made earlier," in a nod to the familiar catchphrase of TV gardening shows

After placing the sapling in the ground, he said: “Hopefully that will be nice and tall. It’s in a good spot; it has lots of space.”