Ah Fruit. Fresh Summer Fruit.

 

Look at what’s developing on the other side of the garden fence!

The apricots have never made it this far in development.  Sure.  There have been blossoms and even some fruit; but the March winds have blown through in the past knocking the fruit down from the immature limbs.  2011 looks to be a bountiful year.  There are many more growing under the shelter of the thick leaf canopy.  In fact, when the trees get fertilized on Saturday, this tree will undergo a very light pruning.

Blenheim Apricot

Precisely one gajillion olive-like plums dangle in the shade of the many new leaves.  Honestly.  There are so many plums this year there is simply no way this young tree can carry them to maturity.  It is shedding some of the weaker fruit; but I may have to help nature lighten the load to allow for larger plums to develop and avoid broken limbs.

Santa Rosa Plum

Twenty-four sweet peaches are currently getting fatter; but hope is slim that they will all make it.  The one pictured here looks like it’s emerging from a nest or has a jester’s hat or is wearing a hula skirt.

 O’Henry Peach

Here the apples are a bit less mature than the other fruit; but there certainly are a load.  Last summer we didn’t harvest early enough and the fruit was a bit pithy.  August is the month to harvest these this year.

Granny Smith Apple

The nectarine looks like it may develop its first fruit this season.  No picture here because I didn’t want to jinx it.  Sun scald has taken its toll on the nectarine, peach, and apple trees.  Beach umbrellas will be erected soon to help protect them from the intense sun.  Typically, these trees wouldn’t be so sensitive to the sun but since they are being grown espalier they are opened up to much more sun.  These three trees really need to bush out to create more of their own shade like the apricot and plum.

courtesy Pickard China

Charlotte Moss designed this china pattern, Espalier.  This American made china would be great for a garden lunch including items harvested from this garden.  For now, a sandwich wrapped in a paper towel will do just fine.

 

PS…The title of this blog is from an advertising campaign in the late 1970s for California Fruit.