Espalier Progress

Most all the trees have buds breaking.  Today the Warren Pear finally joined the others.  Sadly, it seems that all the buds are leaves.  References state that fruit may not be produced up until the tree’s fifth year.  This pear tree was planted in January 2009 so there is still hope…just not this year.

Warren Pear

One of the trees grafted earlier this year was the Fantasia Nectarine.  It needs more lateral branches because of sun scald (I have determined without any formal training so…).  So far the grafted scions have not shown signs of life ; but the upper branches are bursting.  No fruit has been produced to date; but this may be the year.  This tree was also planted in January 2009.

Fantacia Nectarine

Not only are the fruit trees coming to life, the Red Flame Grape is stirring.  Farmer MacGregor is the master pruner of this vine as it matures over the arbor he built.

Red Flame Grape

All of the fruit trees and the grape vine have been fertilized but they really needed some mulch to set them up right for the hot summer ahead.  I went and got a few bags, came home and cleaned out the garden wagon, then got busy.

The trees are almost ready to face summer.  The only thing left is to rig up some kind of shade structure to protect this mini orchard from more sun damage.

 

Note:  If Kellogg would like to send me more Gardener & Bloome, I would shamelessly post the benefits of their product that is 15% chicken $h!t.  Even though it’s super stinky, it seems to help the garden grow.  Until then, I’ll continue to buy the stuff at my local nursery. For every gardener still living in winter, the reflection on the bag of Harvest Supreme is not a flash from the camera…it’s just that Lucky Old Sun.

 

Tree Feedin’ Time

  Today was a perfect day to fertilize the trees.  To be clear, cool and overcast is perfect weather for this gardener.  The trees don’t give a hang.  The recent storm was breaking up so conditions to work in the garden were great.  All the trees were given their 1st feeding of the year.  This will be repeated every three month (approximately – if I remember) during the growing season. 

The boysenberries were fertilized with the same fertilizer.  The recommended schedule for the berries is every two months.  The canes were purchased last February as bare root stock and produced one berry.  This season is off to a great start with several buds on the year old canes.

Gardner & Bloome is the organic line from Kellogg.  If this is junk, let me know; but it’s what I’m using for the time being.

Along with the boysenberries here’s the list of trees fertilized with Gardener & Bloome today:

Blenheim Apricot

Fantasia Nectarine

Granny Smith Apple

O’Henry Peach

Pink Variegated Lemon

Rio Red Grapefruit

Robertson Navel Orange

Santa Rosa Plum

Satsuma Mandarin Orange

Warren Pear