Working at a fast clip

Busy in the quiet season is Simon Donaldson, of Rosedale Orchard, pruning peach trees at his orchard near Roxburgh.

The annual pruning was expected to take four to six weeks to complete. Looking back at the season in the Teviot Valley, Mr Donaldson said its extremely hot days and "extreme heat" of 35degC to 40degC in January meant the fruit was some of the worst to pick.

In May, Mr Donaldson finished picking his pip fruit and, at the moment, was planting trees and pruning.

Thinning would begin in October.