We've got a big rainstorm on its way to us by tomorrow, expecting around 2" on the wet stuff and winds, so I'm taking pictures today before it happens.
I also wanted to give you an update on my tiny orchard of trees. They line our long driveway.
I have 4 dwarf fruit trees: 2 apple, 1 cherry and 1 peach from which I get fruit every year now.
This is the first of the Almaden Duke Cherries I've seen ready to pick. Usually the birds get them all before I can so imagine my surprise when I spotted 2 red cherries still available. So I picked the ripest one and the taste is as promised, a bit tart and a bit sweet. I would have preferred more sweetness personally.
This is a view, above, of the cherry on the left and my damaged Red Haven Peach on the right. During the winter the peach's largest limb on the right side was split from the weight of the snow (it was literally buried during our worst winter in several years as far as snow accumulation) and it didn't have any blossoms this year. I suppose the poor thing is trying to recover from its wounds. Its been a good provider of delicious large peaches before now, even if its only a small tree. I hope it comes back into production next year.
Among the apple trees, Malus Honeycrisp above is forming some nice apples. I love the flavor of this variety. So tasty and crunchy crisp.
My only other fruit tree is Benji Shogun Fuji apple and it, too, shows promise this year.
A side story with this one. This is our honeysuckle bush against the farmer's porch. I saw a couple of hummers feeding on the flowers here but alas, they won't stay put when I'm out there with my camera. I was hoping to catch them on film. I'll have to wait for another day.
I hope those of us in Maine and in upper New England and everyone is the path of this latest rain storm is hunkered down, their plants as safe as you can make them, and maybe crossing our fingers will prevent our hard labor from being washed away in the deluge.
Good Luck and Happy Gardening!
That is cool that you have those fruit trees! We have a crab apple tree, which we like when it flowers. We did have 3 high bush blueberry bushes, until they never ever got pruned for over 30 years. I guess your only suppose to let each branch that comes out of the ground to live for 6 years. no one knew that till a couple years ago when I got into gardening. Also I wondered why the bushes were producing worse and worse each year in the last 4 years! They did what they could do for a lot longer than they should have.
ReplyDeleteWe were very, very lucky to have gotten all that we did! This year I have broughten 3 new young ones and I killed the first two :-( I didn't follow the directions exactly, sometimes I read things and some how I can manage to not see some stuff. I do try hard but it still happens every now and then. So now we have just the one. It is about 2.5 feet tall and already has green berries on it. It is also still in the container in which I purchased it in. I should mention that the first two that I bought and killed were not like the 3rd. They were only twigs attached to root systems.
The 3rd or last one I purchased was already thriving and growing. The experts say I really should have 2 more to go with this one....maybe next year I can buy the other two! I would like to grow Peaches and Cherries for they are something that most of my family like to eat, including me! Did you buy them as seed or little trees like my Blueberry? Hope you have a nice day inside quilting, cooking and or just watching your Britcoms! :-) Take care
I bought my Red Haven peach as a year-old whip from a tree nursery. It gave me 13 large juicy fruits 2 yrs after planting. I was surprised. Its a little tree, but a big provider with big fruits.
ReplyDeleteI've resigned myself that I've planted a cherry tree for the birds since I don't seem to ever get any. But I love the birds, so that's OK.
MMMM I love peaches and it is very nice of you to feed the birds! Too many of us take our feather friends for granted along with all kinds of other creatures! I bet by Summers end you'll have your perfect photo of your Hummers!! Can't believe this is the last day of June :-0 Hope its a great one for yah my dear friend!!! :-D <3
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