Neglected Garden

Iceberg Rose

Today I finally had some time to work out in the garden.  Still no bending, lifting (over 5 lbs), or twisting.  This is lovingly known at BLT.  However, the surgeon showed me a few tricks that enable me to work more in the garden.  Everything under the pergola got a pruning*, weeding, raking and fertilized.  It's kinda late in the year to apply fertilizer but one last shot of nutrition before winter arrives may provide stronger plants in the spring.  I don't know.  I simply felt like giving the neglected plants a boost.

In the evening, I started pruning the espalier trees.  The Santa Rosa plum has the top lateral pruned with a mind toward not crowding the 2014 crop.  2013 provided a bounty of plums.  I thinned out the branches but left enough new growth from this summer to allow buds to form in February.  The trees won't get fertilized until then.  It's time for them to go to sleep.  Granny Smith is still providing a nice load of tart apples to help us enjoy this cooler weather.  Dormant spray will be applied once all the trees have been pruned.

*Pruning plants under the pergola consisted of dead heading while pruning the espalier is a bit more sever - but not much.  Harder pruning will occur in January.

Kitchen Update
Now the item that has been soaking up most of my time is the kitchen remodel.  There are a few minor items (blinds, stools, range apron, wall decor) left to complete but the kitchen is fully functional and I love it.  Farmer MacGregor only strayed a little bit over estimates but well below what a professional designer initially quoted.  Today he prepared a rehearsal Thanksgiving dinner to determine how best to use the new range.  It was a wonderful success.

Dormant Spray #1

All the deciduous trees were given the 1st application of dormant oil spray after each had a light pruning. Thinning out areas where necessary, removing crossing branches, and removing any dead or unhealthy branches is the criteria for this pruning. Removing too much will reduce fruit production in a few months. Removing too little could mean whimpy fruit. It's an art and I'm still finger painting.

Ideally, 3 applications will be made before the blooms break. That's not likely because the dormant season arrived so late.

If you're considering dormant spray, make sure to cover items you don't want sprayed. The copper will turn everything it touches blue-green.

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Tree Trimming

O'Henry Peach

Some of the fruit trees have finally lost their leaves. I understand that waiting to prune after all the leaves have dropped allows the leaves to provide nourishment to the tree.  Am I right?  Today, I wondered out to do a little clean up pruning on the peach tree. This tree did surprisingly well this year.  The trunk had suffered sun scald and I thought it might need to be replaced.  Wrapping the trunk this summer helped to protect the exposed trunk and some branches allowing more growth to flourish and help shade those wrapped parts.  I only removed branches/twigs that were crossing, dead wood, and branches that might cause a problem. 

Debris needs to be removed from around the trunk; but other than that, it's ready for an application of dormant oil.

Only one other tree has dropped its leaves.  The new, replacement Fantasia Nectarine.  It's still a squirt and needs no pruning.  Just a little rake around the base and this little lady is ready for a shower.

Fantasia Nectarine

Garden Update:
Farmer MacGregor tackled the removal of Gold Currant Tomatoes yesterday.  These volunteers grew in a bed dedicated to the eradication of  Root Knot Nematodes.  Earlier in the summer, French Marigolds were planted. I read that this variety of marigold repelled these pests.  JUNK!  The knots on the roots of the tomatoes were gross.  We have decided this summer will be the summer to cover all the vegetable beds with black plastic and bake those buggers.  I have one pot reserved for a tomato plant and that's it.

I had also read that nematodes don't like mustard; so I planted 4 varieties this fall.  The mustard bed is thriving.  Asparagus is growing in this bed as well.  Don't know what to do with the asparagus when the black plastic is draped over this bed.  Suggestions?


Southern Giant Curled Mustard

Winterizing Fruit Trees

 

The seasons on the calendar are moving from autumn to winter but the garden hasn't gotten the message yet.  Leaves are hanging on the deciduous fruit trees hampering the application of dormant spraying.  There is a very slim window of time to apply the oil until the buds begin to break.  Hopefully, a freeze will be in the forecast soon.  These trees need hours of cold temperatures in order to produce fruit --- good fruit.  Those cold temperatures also help kill off nasty pests that are still hanging around.

 

Rio Red Grapefruit

All the fruit trees get three applications to keep them healthy and pest free.  Even the citrus gets the treatment.  I was advised that keeping the citrus fruit on the trees during applications is harmless.  Farmer MacGregor will not hear of it; so the fruit will have to be harvested prior to that.  That's the silver lining for the application delay.  The citrus will continue to sweeten on the trees until the deciduous trees get naked.

 

Gardening question:  What is the term for when a fruit tree blooms a second time in a season producing fruit?  The Granny Smith Apple tree did that this year and produced some ornamental apples.

Granny Smith Apple 2nd crop 2012

 

 

 

 

 

Another Winner!

The Santa Rosa Plum is once again the first fruit tree in the garden to break its bud.  Here’s the history:

• February 20, 2009
• February 14, 2010
• February 24, 2011
• February 11, 2012

2011 was the 1st year this tree could hold fruit.  Production was vigorous.  Temperatures have been very warm so early in the season and rain has been almost nonexistent.  The trees were fertilized on February 20, 2011 through to October 29, 2011.  Fertilizer was applied every 4 – 6 weeks between those dates. I plan to pick up some fertilizer next weekend and apply the 1st feeding of the year.Manual irrigation will most likely continue on through the growing season of 2012. 

This year, the tree was pruned to encourage healthy espalier growth.  Dormant spray was applied 3 times:

• January 1, 2012
• January 19, 2012
• February 5, 2012

Even though the dog is using his own pruning technique on the trees, I’m hopeful for a bounteous year of tree fruit.

Guilty!

A crime has been committed. 

The identity of the suspect has been hidden to protect any innocence (There is none!).  This afternoon, I discovered that damaged had occurred to the nectarine and apricot trees.  Some beast had chewed on the dormant branches.  In the case of the nectarine, a large chunk of a branch had been broken clean off!

EXHIBIT A:The Fantasia Nectarine has been struggling but was looking promising.  A lower limb had been snapped off and munched.  Note:  Damage does not appear to be from a beaver as there is no body of water near.

EXHIBIT B:The Blenheim Apricot is a much more vigorous specimen.  An apricot limb adjacent to the snapped nectarine limb sustained damage from some sharp toothed demon.

Evidence was collected from the surrounding area for analysis.  Witnesses were interviewed with statements recorded.  A round up of the “usual suspect(s)” was performed.Justice was swift.  The perpetrator felt great remorse and was released on his own recognizance.  He’s on probation and is on his best behavior.

Note:  The dormant trees were dormant sprayed for the 2nd time this season after the damaged trees were lightly pruned.

Dormant Spray

Steve asked what kind of dormant oil is sprayed on the fruit trees in the garden.  Farmer MacGregor uses a combination of Take Down and KOP-R.  He uses a hand sprayer making sure to completely saturate the tree from the bottom and top.Take down is used year round to control insects.  It’s primary ingredient is Pyrethrum.  He combines the two and applies to the dormant fruit trees about 3 times in the winter. Since there has been no rain (not even fog), the 3 applications have not run into any scheduling problems. It can be applied to most any plant that doesn’t have fuzzy leaves. Read the label to be certain.

You can see the price but it’s concentrated and lasts for some time.  Check with your local (not box store) nursery.  They may have a better recommendation for your area.

Warning:  The KOP-R will stain so make sure to cover any surrounding items you do not want to take on the patina of oxidized copper (blue-green).

Happy New Year!

Variegated Pink Lemon

Dang it.  2012 is here whether we like it or not.  Using the new year as a marker, the trees were sprayed with pyrethrum and copper sulfate.  This was the 1st of 3 sprays scheduled for the winter. In about 3 weeks, they will be hit a 2nd time.  The final application must be scheduled before any of the buds break.  This helps to control pests and fungus.  Good.  That was the final task of 2011.

Blenheim Apricot

Sadly, there hasn’t been much cold weather to speak of.  That cold helps the dormant fruit – apricot, nectarine, pear, apple, peach, and plum.  AND it’s been mighty dry.

Red Flame Grapes

Farmer MacGregor is in charge of the grapevine.  The 1st task of the new year was to prune the vine with the hopes of a superior crop in 2012.  The old dove nests and unwanted vines were removed.  The arbor is clean and ready for the summer shade.

Volunteers from the summer continue to thrive.  Sunflowers and tomatoes are going strong.  In fact, fresh picked tomatoes were enjoyed on Christmas Day.  Sheesh!  At 9:30 this morning, it was already warm out in the garden.

This weather will give me plenty of opportunity to do chores in the garden to prepare for the spring and summer crops.  I will be planting more beets, broccoli, and cauliflower with hopes they will do better than what is out there now.

 

Biggest Dud of 2011 in the Garden:  Grafting.  Not one success there.

Biggest Success of 2011 in the Garden:  Golden Current Tomato.  They’re still producing.

Recommendations for 2012:  Heinz Tomato.  Nice plant with beautiful fruit that is easy to harvest and preserve.  Good for fresh eating or canning.

Goal for 2012:  Incorporate more flowers into the garden.

Fruit Trees – Love in Bloom in the Garden

Checking on the fruit trees on this sunny afternoon.  The espalier were pruned some time ago.  They had the 1st application of dormant spray on January 16th.  The next application is scheduled for Super Bowl Sunday, February 6th.  The buds are fattening up just a little bit.  Once the buds break, dormant spray can no longer be applied.

My garden assistant for the afternoon was checking out the other end of the line where the plum, peach, and apple grow while I inspected the apricot, nectarine, and pear on my end.  Each tree will be getting fertilized and additional compost prior to Valentine’s Day.  We moved on to the only citrus tree currently producing.

The Rio Red Grapefruit tree.

The dwarf tree, planted on Valentine’s Day 2009, has produced 7 fruits this season.  Farmer MacGregor and I enjoyed the 1st pick several weeks ago; but old MacGregor declared that the fruit was a wee bit too tart yet.  I thought it was just right.  That could be due to the fact that I’m so sweet and counteract any tartness. We’ll wait just a bit longer until more is harvested.  I prefer to eat grapefruit with a spoon and never like I would eat an orange.  It must be some kind of reaction with the metal of the spoon or something that makes the grapefruit more appealing to me to eat that way.

The stakes surrounding the tree will remain in place until all danger of frost has passed.  Plastic sheeting is draped over the stakes to form a small greenhouse and help ward off any damage from cold weather.  Other than frost dangers, citrus are fairly maintenance free here in zone 8-9.

Perhaps the next time the farmer and I enjoy a grapefruit, we can use something like this to celebrate Valentine’s Day after the trees are fed and composted.  Ain’t it romantic?

Summer’s Coming

Today Farmer MacGregor applied dormant spray to the deciduous fruit trees, grape vine, and roses along with some light pruning.  The spray schedule is a bit behind for 2011 due to the fabulous amount of rain we’ve received in the garden. The second spray will probably happen on Super Bowl weekend if the bud haven’t broken.  The goal is to get 3 applications during the winter.  Last winter only 2 applications could be made before the buds broke.  In 2010, the first bud to break was the Santa Rosa Plum on February 14.  Looks like only 2 applications will happen this year as well.  It’s a valiant effort to keep the trees, vines, and bushes as healthy. Everything sprayed gets a cooper lamé sheen.  If you’re going to be applying dormant oil with copper, make sure to cover anything that you don’t want sprayed.  Painted fences, lawn furniture, etc. will soon take on a copper patina if it gets hit.

 

Here’s something for those longing for summer time.  Just six months ago +100°F days were common place in the garden.  The days were much longer.  Any garden work started around 7pm for a short period of time.  This is what the garden looked like six months ago.I’m not longing for summer time; but I’ve started planning the summer 2011 garden.  Less tomatoes and more beans.  Corn will be introduced for the 1st time with my fingers crossed.  Sweet potatoes too.  Like it or not, summer will be here soon.  Now’s the time to prepare by dormant spraying and seed planning.