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.

Scratch & Sniff with a Latin Flare

I would like to be more proficient with the Latin names of plants.  Right now there is only room for improvement.  There are plenty of scents in the spring garden.  The temperature is predicted to be 83° today; so there are many buds breaking and many bees buzzing.  I tried to associate Latin handles with some pungent scents in the garden today.  No way.  I had to cheat and look in my Sunset Bible for help.  See what you know.  I'll list the Latin name in the caption using the scientific name (genus/species) along with the plant family if I know it.  See if you know the common name.  Easy.  Cheesy.  Light & breezy.

Ready?  Answers below.

1.  Syringa Oleaceae

2.  Rosmarinus officinalis Labiatae

3.  Rutaceae

4.  Cruciferae mustard (or cress)

5.  Aloysia triphylla Verbenaceae

6.  Cruciferae mustard (or cress)

1.  Lilac.  This is one of my spring favorites.
2.  Rosemary.  Use the woody sprigs for kabob skewers by removing the leaves and soaking in water before threading you favorite BBQ stuff.
3.  Lemon.  Always a favorite and most always in bloom.
4.  Cabbage.  Ready for March 17th?
5.  Lemon Verbena.  I like rubbing my hand along the leaves to pick up the scent.  Adding some dried leaves in a card before mailing makes getting that piece of mail so much better.
6.  Broccoli.  It's bolting like mad and attracting so may bees and bumble bees too.

Garden Update:
All of the trees and berries (including blueberries) have received their 1st dose of fertilizer for 2013 followed by a long soaking.

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.

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

Miss Congeniality–Granny Smith

Good Ol’ Granny Smith takes 4th place in the fruit blossom competition in the garden.  This year look pretty good for the apple tree.  There are dozens of blossoms on the young tree now.  Hopefully enough will develop into apples to enjoy later in the summer.Locally, the honey bee population is supposed to be on the rise.  I’m doing my part.  Hope they get busy in the garden.

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.

In The Leafy Treetops

  The skies parted for a time this afternoon for a little garden inspection.  After checking the progress in the vegetable beds (nothing to note), I checked  on  the trees to see how they came through the wind and rain storms we’ve had recently.

Granny Smith Apple

Apple buds are plentiful on old Granny.  This year is the best ever; but she’s not out of the woods yet.  There’s more wind to come that will, more than likely, thin out the bounty.  Note the dark sky making a great backdrop for the sun beaming on the buds.

 

O’Henry Peach

In various stages of blooming, the peach tree looks like it may produce fairly well this season.  I’ll be concentrating on creating a thicker canopy to protect the trunk and limbs from the scorching sun.

 

Santa Rosa Plum

A canopy like the Santa Rosa Plum produced would certainly help prevent sun scald on some of the other trees.  The plum made it through the storms in good shape.  Sadly, there were no plums that survived.  Wait a minute.  What? 

 

Santa Rosa Plum

There’s a bajillion more clusterslike this under that canopy.  Many of the tiny plums are sure to drop.  I hope I can at least taste one this summer…at most, jar up some plum jelly.

 

 Warren Pear

A small amount of damage caused by the wind was noted on the Warren Pear.  It didn’t bloom this spring so no blooms to worry about.  It’s getting a nice start on producing a thicker canopy.

 

 Fantasia Nectarine

This tree is the #1 candidate for sun protection.  The nectarine really needs a canopy.  In the meantime, a temporary screen will be erected.  I sure hope more leaves will sprout.  The blooms are similar to the peach tree…if they would only produce a piece of fruit.

 

Blenheim Apricot

Baby apricots made it through the storms!  No fruit has made it to maturity on the apricot tree.  It looks promising for this summer though.  The plum tree bloomed before the apricot; but the apricots are much bigger than the plums.

All the fruit trees were fertilized on February 20.  They will be fed again during the 1st weekend of April.  A six week fertilizer plan should do for now with adjustments when the weather changes and the growth slows.  Just want to track this and see any progress.

 

By clicking on any image a new window should open with a much bigger version.  That is IF I remembered to make that feature available.

Fig Tree

What do you know?!  The volunteer fig tree has figs!  I never expected a thing out of this tree that was, not doubt, transported to my garden from my neighbor’s by way of a bird.  It’s growing in a good sized terra cotta pot.  I had thought about pruning it to match the rest of espalier orchard; instead I think I’ll just try to keep the growth under control with pruning.  It’s still young enough for me to change my mind.

It seems the world’s supply of figs are grown in the Mediterranean.   If this tree grows as easily and carefree as it has so far, I may be able to place a dot on the map representing Bakersfield, California.

 

 

Courtesy  Wikipedia.

If fruit production doesn’t boom, perhaps Farmer MacGregor and I could go into the clothing trade if times get tougher.  Various sizes available.  Color choices are limited.

Courtesy  Musee de l'Arles Antique, Arles, France.

Apple Support

All the espalier fruit trees that are going to bloom this spring have bloomed.  The final tree, Granny Smith, opened up today.  Some of the petals have a little damage on them.  I suppose imperfections are to be expected whenever a gardener doesn’t use dangerous pesticides.  The dormant trees are only treated with a copper spray along with pyrethrum.  I’ll need to keep an eye on old Granny.  She also is a little sensitive to the sun. 

Most of the espalier line of fruit trees will be shaded from the intense summer sun to avoid any further sun scald.  It’s because the trees are opened up and have more exposure to the sun that scald damage occurs.  Two of the trees, apricot and plum, have no problem with the sun.  These two trees produce many more leaves to provide shade to the limbs than the other trees.  Peach, nectarine, pear, and apple produce leaves more at the end of their limbs; while the apricot and plum have leaves shooting out everywhere all summer long.

All the trees have been dormant sprayed, fertilized, mulched, and had fresh support ties to start them off the right way for the next growing season.

 

Other activity today:

Planted -

• Lettuce – Planted in the salad bed where tomatoes will rule in a short time.
• Tom Thumb – (50–70 days) Tennis ball sized butter head Limestone Bibb type lettuce.  Terrior Seeds / Underwood Gardens lists this as a variety from the 1830s and suggest that it would be a good choice to grow in pots, window boxes, and under trees.  I planted this in my salad bed to replace the spent lettuce that can’t take the warm spring weather.  No tree or shade in sight.
• Saint Anne’s Slow-bolting - (58 days) A short romaine type that is a good candidate to be used as a cut and come again lettuce.  I have high hopes this variety will take me to the end of spring when there is no hope whatever of growing lettuce until fall.
• Carrot – Also planted in the salad bed that will soon hold all the summer tomatoes.
• Red-Cored Chantenay - (60-75 days) Large bodied, deep red-orange to center.  Refined shape with wide shoulders great for bunching.
• Sunflower – Something is mowing down the seeds I planted a few weeks ago.  I’m planting around the salad bed to see if location matters.
• Teddy Bear – Giant six inch puffballs of sunny golden-yellow flowers.  These dwarf plants should grow 2’ – 3’.  Perfect.

There was a very light rain this afternoon with clouds for most of the day.  The temperature probably didn’t even make it to 70°.

Granny May Need Sunscreen

What the heck is going on with the Granny Smith tree?!  The little darling has only been in the garden since 2009.  As a bare root, it was planted as directed with fertile, well draining soil.  The young, flexible stems were patiently and gently bent to form the desired espalier form.  Granny is dormant sprayed each winter with at least 2 or 3 applications of cooper and pyrethrum.  The bed is kept clean.  She’s fed regularly.  Fruit was produced in both 2009 and 2010.  So what gives?

The problem is at the lowest lateral and at the graft joint.  The bark is split and there are signs of insect “leavin’s”.  This could be the result of sun scald.  The effected area is on the south side of the tree.  If this is a result of sun damage, I wonder if painting the trunk helps or should I consider shading these trees.  Being that they are espalier, they are wide open to the sun.  Sun scald may explain damage to the peach and nectarine trees as well.

Note:  All trees in the garden had a 3rd application of pyrethrum (no copper) except for the Santa Rosa Plum because it is blooming.  The Blenheim Apricot buds broke late this afternoon.

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.

Grafting Espalier Fruit Trees

Okay.  I’m beginning my adventures in grafting.  Two of my espaliered (Am I even using that Frenchy word correctly?  I know what I mean.) fruit trees are a little sparse with their lateral branches.  My goal this year is to learn how to graft.  I’ve never done it before – ever; so I’m a bit apprehensive hoping that I don’t cause damage at worst or the grafts don’t take at least.  So here I go into my exploration.

My tool was a pair of sharp, disinfected pruning shears.  Making a clean, sterile cut helps the odds of this experiment working.

The O’Henry Peach Tree is in need of two lateral branches.  When the tree was planted as a bare root there weren’t any lower branches and none have sprouted in the two years it has been in the garden.  Two sprouts with buds were clipped and placed in a labeled plastic bag and sealed.

The Fantasia Nectarine is in need of three lateral branches.  One of the middle branches was removed because it died.  I think it may have suffered sunburn…not sure.  The same clean cuts were made on the nectarine just like the peach.

The cuttings are in the garage refrigerator.  I was instructed to let them rest there until the buds on the trees begin to swell sometime in February. 

Courtesy Gardening Know How

 

At that point, I make a “T” cut on the tree where I would like to make the graft.  I’m getting several bits of advice for the next step.  Do I use wax, tar, or foil to seal the graft?  The image above suggests to simply bind the graft with some twine.  My research continues. 

 

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Now I need to consider espaliering (How do you correctly use that Frenchy word?!) the camellias.

Espalier Pruning

The deciduous fruit trees are all being espalier trained.  These baby trees are entering their 2nd year in the garden.  They all had a nice spurt of growth for the most part and needed a pruning.  Here’s the progress from January 1, 2010 to April 7, 2010 after their pruning.

Santa Rosa Plum – No fruit set.  Abundant leaves.

O’Henry Peach – Fruit set for second year.

 

Granny Smith Apple – Fruit set for second year.

 

Warren Pear – No blossoms.  Abundant leaves.

Fantasia Nectarine – No fruit set.  Lower left branch has no leaves.

Blenheim Apricot – No fruit set.  Dang it.

The bare root trees were planted on January 12, 2009.

January 12, 2009 – View west

April 7, 2010 – View west

 

January 12, 2009 – View east.

 

April 7, 2010 – View east.

That’s a dwarf grapefruit tree in the background by the way.  It has blooms and little, baby fruit right now.  Looking healthy.

This is a tool I use to keep track of the progress in the garden and may be of no interest to anyone but me.  Thanks.