Bareroots 2020

 Early in 2020, some new bareroot fruit trees replaced some failing trees. The Old Blenheim apricot was replaced with an O’Henry peach. An old Granny Smith Apple tree was a mess and replaced with a Craig’s Crimson_ cherry tree. The new trees will be pruned to join in the espalier fence line for the garden. Although the peach has a not-so-straight vertical growth, it might be able to be braced a bit to form a straighter midsection. The neighboring nectarine will be pruned back a bit to allow enough room for the peach to grow horizontally. 

The cherry tree came into the garden as a very tall (6’) whip.  It was cut down to about 4’ to keep the height in line with the rest of the tree fenceline an encourage lateral growth. So far, lateral branches are sparse. I need to learn how to encourage that lateral growth. 

Augusta West - Not

It's time for the Masters' Tournament in Augusta, Georgia.  That golf course is famous for its azaleas.  My garden is not.  In 2009, we planted a bunch of camellias and azaleas in the garden.  Wrong.  They did bloom, but then they went kaput!  Only one azalea survives today.  Thriving in their place are thornless boysenberries

 George L. Taber Azalea

Garden Update:

Tomatoes (Better Boy):  Farmer MacGregor could not imagine a summer without homegrown tomatoes.  So rather than solarize the raised beds to eradicate the nematodes, he opted to plant a variety resistant to nematodes.  This is what we grew last summer in another bed. Planted last week.

Bell Peppers (Golden Bell):  Three plants should be enough to take us through the summer. Planted today.

Hot Peppers (Serrano):  Pepper poppers are a favorite around here.  MacGregor also prefers home grown salsa. So...Serranos were planted today.

Note:  I still cannot bend so Farmer MacGregor has taken on the task of planting.

Nectarine (Fantasia):  What's nibbling on the nectarines?  Ants?  Grasshoppers?

Fantasia Nectarines

Espalier:  All the espalier fruit trees (except for the Granny Smith apple) had a spring pruning.  Nothing too heavy.  The leaves are necessary to prevent scald.  The most vigorous growth was on the apricot and plum trees.

Orchard Update



 The garden orchard isn't big at all.  All the deciduous trees are espalier pruned to shadow the garden fence line.  (The citrus grow on the opposite side of that fence line with the raised beds on the same side as the espalier trees.  All these trees were planted in January 2009 as bare root babies.

Warren Pear

The Warren pear has refused to bloom. This is the 4th year in the garden without so much of a hint of a bud.  The leaves are beautiful, glossy, and green.  In fact, the pear tree is known as the diva of the garden.  It really is a great tree to form an espalier.

Granny Smith Apple

Old Granny Smith was thought to be a gonner due to sun scald.  Using tree wrap saved it and now the tree is producing nice fruit.  This spring, there is an abundance of blossoms - the most in it's short life.  This is the last tree to bloom in spring and the last fruit to ripen at the end of summer.

O'Henry Peach
 

O'Henry had a bad case of sun scald like the apple tree.  The tree wrap did a great job.  Last summer I concentrated on developing a nice canopy to naturally shade the limbs.  This year, wrap will be applied to any tree that needs it.  And, this peach tree is blooming like made so there is hope for a good crop of fruit.

Fantasia Nectarine

Last year, the nectarine had to be replaced.  Same variety - better production.  The previous tree had rare blooms and when it was removed there were no roots.  None.  This fantasia has about 15 blooms this spring; but something is nibbling on them.  Ants?

Santa Rosa Plum

Fruit is already forming on the plum tree.  There are an estimated 5 billion blossoms on the tree this spring.  That's a very rough estimate.  I'm hopeful to be able to make plum jelly this summer.  Santa Rosa was the 1st to bloom; but it's not the mightiest producer.  No sir.

Blenheim Apricot

Even though the apricot had to undergo some major surgery recently, that did not stop the fruit production.  This tree is the 2nd to bloom but is surging ahead as far as production is concerned. Dried apricots are my favorites.  I'm hopeful.

Average Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa Plum

The Santa Rosa Plum grows perfectly in the Southern San Joaquin Valley.  Perfect.  Hot, long days all summer long don't even dent this tree's performance.  In fact, those hot days encourage the Santa Rosa to thrive producing sweet, juicy fruit. 

Dave Wilson is my grower of choice.  Here's their descriptor:

Most popular plum in California & Arizona. Juicy, tangy, flavorful. Reddish-purple skin, amber flesh tinged red. Late June in Central Calif. 300 hours. Self-fruitful.

The 300 hours means the requirement of hours below 45° F needs to be at least 300 hours.  That's the chill hours. Those chill hours help the tree go into a nice, deep sleep and produce fruit that will set and develop good quality.  No problemo here in Bakersfield.

Each year since planting the deciduous trees, the Santa Rosa has been the first to break bud.  2013 is no exception.  Here's the accumulated history:

• February 20, 2009
• February 14, 2010
• February 24, 2011
• February 11, 2012
• February 16, 2013

For statistics freaks, today (February 17) is the average date for the buds to break on Santa Rosa.  Hope the fruit will be above average.  Once the trees are in full bloom, then fertilization will begin.

March usually brings winds in the valley.  The winds thin the fruit naturally.  Sadly, last March the wind about knocked out the entire crop.  I can't stand the wind.  Dust, dirt, broken limbs, birds' nests knocked down, Valley Fever spores.  It's just a mess.  Let's all hope that the winds won't be so vicious this year.

Here's to an average or better than average year for Santa Rosa.

 

Cut or Keep?

The Blenheim Apricot has some borer damage that was discovered during recent dormant spraying. I've sent out photos to several local nurseries, some blogging pals, and to a few podcasters I follow. Most all advise to cut the damaged limb.

A tree trimmer visited our backyard to provide an estimate for pruning a Chinese Elm. He advised to leave the limb. Now that's the answer I want to hear; but if it's best to remove the limb I would like to do it soon. A replacement lateral limb on this espalier shouldn't take long to grow.

Next weekend I'm attending a pruning seminar and will take photos and questions regarding this problem and others in the yard. Photo #1 shows the tree full of leaves and fruit taken this past spring (April 2012). I've circled the damaged area. Photo #2 is a close up of the largest damaged area. Photo #3 is smaller damage all in the same area. Both of these photos were taken on January 13, 2013.

I'm interested in any other opinions. A decision needs to be made soon.

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.

This post was composed using a Blogger app.

Marina Del Rey Espalier

Took some time away from the garden to get a couple of back surgeries taken care of.  The surgeons call it fusion.  I call it grafting.  Soon I hope to have a much stronger trunk allowing me to be as graceful as an espalier pear. At least my room has a patio.


Kickin' back in Marina Del Rey.

Granny (Maria Ann Sherwood) Smith

The Granny Smith Apple tree is enjoying a healthy year of growth.  Just like the O'Henry Peach, the exposed trunk was wrapped for protection from sunburn/sun scald.  The immature trunk was cracking and blistering until shade or cover was provided.  This method of protection is giving much better results than using the Tommy Bahama umbrellas - although in 2011, Farmer MacGregor constructed a sun screen using shade cloth and fence posts.  The wrap is much easier. The tree is getting the amount of sun needed while the wrap is providing protection.

Granny Smith Apple - January 1, 2010

Also like the peach tree, the apple tree was only producing leaves at the ends of the limbs - similar to pom poms.  It has produced apples all along since it was planted in 2009.  Apples are plumping up (see 1st image above) and should be ready sometime in October-November according to the Dave Wilson tag that was attached to the sapling.

Granny Smith Apple - July 29. 2012

Today, the tree continues to bloom and produce more leaves to shade the limbs and branches.  Pruning the apple tree is rare.  The spurs which produce the fruit season after season form on wood at least 1 year old.  Since this is an immature tree, spur growth is welcome.

Granny Smith Trivia:
The cultivar originated in Eastwood, New South Wales, Australia (now a suburb of Sydney) in 1868 from a chance seedling propagated by Kentish-born Maria Ann Smith (nee Sherwood 1799-1870), from whom comes the name.  Widely propagated in New Zealand, it was introduced to the United Kingdom around 1935 and the United States in 1972 by Grady Auvil.  The advent of the Granny Smith Apple is celebrated annually in Eastwood with the Granny Smith Festival. - so says Wikipedia.


Good Ol' Maria Ann Sherwood Smith - Granny Smith

Apricot Leather



Blenheim Apricot

The apricot harvest is moving along nicely. Bird netting is keeping the pesky birds away in frustration with no signs of damage from birds or insects. Irrigation has been cut back a bit to enhance the flavor and not burst the fruit. One or two soakings a week depending on the moisture meter will be enough since the weather hasn't been blazing hot.

Espalier pruning makes picking the fruit simple.  This summer, the fruit is ripening from the top down.  I never noticed this in fruit trees grown regularly.  Maybe fruit ripens from the top down on all trees.  The Santa Rosa Plum (espalier) is ripening in the same manner.  I'll take notice in the future.

My plan is to dry the apricots or make fruit leather.  Way better than Fruit Roll Ups.  That's my most favorite way to enjoy apricots.  My mother used to place the pureed fruit on Saran Wrap lined cookie sheets and place them up on the roof to dry.  Window screens protected the leather from bugs (maybe).  I no longer have dehydraters so I'll be using the oven for the process.

Can anyone recommend a dehyrater?  I would like one that's light weight, easy to clean, and energy efficient.  Kinda the same set up as my mother only with electricty.

What They Got That I Ain't Got?

The apricots are coming along nicely.  All the stone fruit in the garden are espalier pruned.  The two most vigorous trees are the Santa Rosa Plum and the Blenheim Apricot.  Regular pruning is required from spring to fall or they will get so shaggy that it's hard to tell they are proud espalier - the ballerina divas of the garden.

Blenheim Apricot

Loads of blossoms have developed into maturing fruit.  I want that fruit.  The birds want that fruit.  Too bad.  I'm higher on the food chain and have prepared for your aerial assault.

Bird netting - effective against bird damage on boysenberries and apricots (so far).
With that, the birds will continue to tweet, "Who put the ape in apricot?  What's she got that we ain't got?"  Answer:  A brain just a smidge bit bigger than yours.  Now scat!
Now you can hum If I Only Had a Brain for hours.

Marvelous!

Our Warren Pear tree is the garden diva.  Or should that be Devo?  It grows beautifully and is probably the best type of tree for espalier pruning.  The branches naturally take to this type of pruning.  The bark is a nice olive, green-brown.  The leaves are glossy with long stems allowing them to flutter in the breeze.  It really looks marvelous. 

Warren Pear

Unfortunately, not one blossom has ever been produced.  A description from Dave Wilson Nursery up in Reedley, California states:

"Excellent quality dessert pear - and highly resistant to fire blight. Medium to large, long-necked fruit with pale green skin, sometimes blushed red. Smooth flesh (no grit cells) is juicy and buttery with superb flavor. Good keeper. Cold hardy to -20°F. From Mississippi. 600 hours. Self-fruitful."

Since Warren is self-fruitful, shouldn't there be blossoms all over the laterals?  The tree is 4 years old.  All the other variety of trees have produced something.  Some more than others. Warren needs to start earning his keep.  He won't get replaced just yet because he's such a marvelous diva/devo in the garden.

Any insight into my barren pear tree is appreciated. 

Fruit Tree Grooming Time

Before the temperatures plummeted and the wind picked up this evening, all the fruit trees were groomed (espalier).  Some of the trees are more vigorous in their growth than others.  The apricot is the champ.  It's similar to a man with a constant 5o'clock shadow.  Man, it needs regular grooming.

Blenheim Apricot

The branches are holding a nice amount of fruit now.  Hopefully, the wind won't change that.

Another tree that needs regular grooming is the plum.  The greenery is also vigorous and helps to shade the opened branches.  The more the greenery, the less chance of sun scald.  Growing the laterals out a bit more is one of the goals for this tree.

Santa Rosa Plum

Some plums are developing and should be sweet and juicy.  A wind storm knocked off most of the blooms; so this summer will be dedicated to maintaining its shape and encouraging fruit for next year. Hope I can beat the birds to the harvest.

Santa Rosa Plum

These two trees have been growing well in zone 8-9 with little maintenance, care, or pests. I can recommend them the next time bare root season comes around.

Nectarine vs Terrorism

The original Fantasia Nectarine bit the dust and needed to be replaced.  Fortunately, I found a bare root specimen at Robby’s Nursery.  Last Sunday (March 18, 2012), I was able to chat with Old Man “Robby” Robinson regarding my replacement choices.  My main concern was the different rootstock used.  He assured me that since I will be pruning my tree espalier, that the trunk would not grow larger than the other fruit trees on the fence line.  The trunks grow to meet the demand of the tree tops.The Fantasia Nectarine is described as very large, flesh yellow, firm, smooth textured, sweet & juicy.  It is freestone and can tolerate frost.  The fruit should ripen in July.

As Robby recommended, the roots were trimmed and the branched pruned back.  The most suitable lateral branches for the bottom and middle lines were bent along the guide wire while the others were pruned.  The top laterals haven’t developed enough to bend. Those branches were left to develop any fruit until they have grown long enough to bend.The garden terrorist is aware of the new addition and is probably quite pleased that he may have had a hand (mouth) in bringing an end to Fantasia I.  I’m watching that guy.

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.

Happy Birthday, America!

Ajax – 9 months old

What a coincidence.  Ajax is 9 months old on the 235th birthday of our country.  Let’s celebrate!

It’s hotter than a firecracker out in the garden.  Today will be a balmy 104°.  Yee Haw!  The extent of our celebrating will be finishing all outdoor work before 10am.  Check. 

Now we will be hibernating until the chill of the evening arrives when yours truly will crank up the bbq for some Hebrew Nationals.  Sure swamp pants will be involved.  But there will also be Ruffles and baked beans.  We’ve been snacking on homegrown plums and apricots; but dessert will be special for this birthday celebration.  Apricots from my baby espalier trees provide all the fruit.  Here’s what it looks like.

It was inspired by Miri Leigh but helped along with advise from Julia Child.  Thanks Julia.  If you’re allergic to dairy products find something else.  This baby is loaded with cow fat!

Happy Birthday, America.

Espalier Growth

Most the fruit trees in the garden are espalier trained.  Sorry if the word “espalier” is misused.  Though the trees grow two dimensionally  along the XY axes sometimes they need to get their Z  clipped too.    Since the weather has been so incredibly tolerable, gardeners are out in force to doing what chores they can before someone opens the furnace door.  This evening a few of the trees got trimmed a bit.

Here’s some before and after shots:

Plum – Santa Rosa:  Still growing strong, Santa Rosa is an excellent variety for this climate.  This is the first year that a harvest is expected.  There is still loads of fruit tucked up under that thick, green canopy.  Early June is the expected time to harvest.  This year things are going slower because of the cooler weather; but Santa Rosa should be the first of the fruits to harvest.

      

Peach – O’Henry:  This tree has produced fruit before but this season is a bit heavier.  The leaves only grow on the tips of the branches but this season they are growing denser.  This should help filter out the sun and prevent sun scald.  Umbrellas will be planted next to the trunk and opened when the sun gets more intense.  The fruit may be harvested starting in mid August.

      

Nectarine – Fantasia:  The peach and nectarine are similar in growth with the leaves growing at the tips of the branches.  The nectarine is doing a great job producing leaves.  This tree almost fell to pruning shears to make way for another tree.  I really thought this tree wasn’t going to work out.  An umbrella is set up already for this tree and has been opened to help shade the exposed trunk and branches and prevent sun scald.  Sadly, the one fruit that formed failed.  An future harvest should be from mid July to mid August.  I’m hopeful.

       

Apricot – Bleinheim:  The apricot produces an abundance of leaves.  It’s more productive than the successful plum tree.  No fruit has been harvested yet but it’s hanging under the cool shade getting plumper and more delicious with each day.  Harvest is expected in late June.

       

 

A couple of the trees didn’t warrant a pruning.

Apple – Granny Smith:  These should be ready in August or October sometime.  There are conflicting opinions.  Regular sampling will be needed to determine harvest time.

Pear – Warren:  No fruit this year.  I have no idea when to expect a harvest; but this tree takes well to being trained espalier.     

Clip Clip Here. Clip Clip There.

 Santa Rosa Plum

This past weekend the fruit trees enjoyed a little beauty treatment.  A light trim to encourage the leaves to bush out and shade the branches from the sun, a nice helping of fertilizer, and a good deep soak was provided for all the espalier fruits.  Citrus trees will have to wait until I buy more fertilizer.  Most of the trees are not symmetrical and that burns Farmer MacGregor just like he burned the weeds in the lawn.  You see, Farmer MacGregor enjoys symmetry.  So, not only will the goal for the trees this summer be to bush out a bit more but once the abundant (I hope.) harvest is complete, a bit heavier pruning may be needed to get things in line.  Some branches will be encouraged to extend past their current boundaries.  That’s the goal for these trees – plum, peach, apple, pear, nectarine, and apricot –for the summer of 2011.  These trees weren’t the only items trimmed this weekend.

Yes.  Farmer MacGregor received a haircut from yours truly and looks much more symmetrical.  He may even experience a burn to his neck similar to the sad state of the lawn.

 

Note to self:  Schedule tree feeding with Farmer MacGregor haircuts.

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.