Strange weather - Will it get our blooms and fruit?

It’s a great day to plant fruit trees so I’m getting that done. It might be snowing but I’m still sweating! I’m going to get my new apple orchard finished today if I can. If I get a year off from harvesting fruit these trees are going to be looking wonderful.

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You’ve probably said and I’ve missed it, but how many apple trees are you putting in your new orchard? What varieties?

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These are my new two dozen apples Could use some help picking out 2 dozen apple trees from this list.

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Clark,

Once of these day I may stop by your Upick Orchard. I will picking some sweet little yellow pears and Drippin Honey pears. You better speed up. With these apple trees. BTW, how far are you from Worlds of fun.

Tony

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I’m on your way or I could meet you there one day. Let me know when your in the area next time. It takes me a little over an hour to get there.

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Well. It was 85 here today. Float in the pool weather.

Just sayin’ :grin: Welcome to come out to San Diego if you’re tired of the March snow!

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Well, if I was there, I’d probably tip you over for that comment. Btw, there’s no hiding your a red head. No one but, would have all those freckles :wink: Pretty nail polish too. :thumbsup:

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Hah! Yup, all those freckles give my ginger-ness away, alas. And, that’s what about a gazillion inches of rain does to a S. California yard. I have some SERIOUS pruning ahead of me, there. And that’s sadly just one section of a large yard I have to hack away at. Ugh. All on me, too, as hubby has injured his back. Drat. Oh did I mention we’re smoking two whole chickens on the Traeger? Hashtag everybodyswelcome

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Hubby has nice legs!

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Heh, heh! Actually - he does. He’s a retired amateur bodybuilder. Just tryin’ to keep up with him (and, it was my leg day today in the gym, so thank you!) :poultry_leg:

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Did you really just do that? Did you really post photos of you relaxing IN THE POOL and cooking outside surrounded by lush greenery and 85 degree sunshine while I’ve been out in 37 degree weather trying to protect a single tree from the coming FREEZE and SNOW? You used to be one of my favorite people on this site. Used to be!
:slight_smile: (kidding of course…I’d do the same if I could!)

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I did, and I have to say, not ashamed because I lived in N. Indiana for 10 years, and shoveled my fair share of snow, broke the ice on the horse water buckets and troughs, slogged 300’ of hose from the garage to the barn because the (&^%3 barn water pipes froze (again, for the umpteenth time), and drove on skinny, scary, non-plowed county roads to the hospital, only to be told to go back out in my big A* truck (my 350 dually crew cab diesel Ford, the 2nd love of my life), to pick up stranded nurses and get them to the hospital. So, I deserve to make the rest of you all just a wee bit miserable, lol!!! Seriously, you’re all welcome to come out and visit anytime you’re done with that snow stuff. :grinning:

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Hoosierquilt,
Lol I’m covered in mud and ice but I’ve got to admit I laughed very hard out loud when I saw that! Hard work deserves a float in the pool and your pears are just as hard to take care of as ours. Enjoy :0)

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The forecast keeps fluctuating but at the moment, we’re supposed to get down to 25 Wednesday night. I have a few plums/pluots that already have fruitlets. Luckily I have a number of trees in pots so they’ll be coming in to the garage. Hopefully for everyone on the east coast, the temps are a little warmer than predicted.

The official Yahoo temp when I got up was 8 degrees here, with subzero windchill. I went for a 2-mile walk to try to get in shape for the garden season, and I about froze my face. I would take 37 degrees!

Brad,
Thanks for the well wish. Right now, WUisays, it is 15F but feel ilke 5 F.
The lowest tonight will be 5 F. If the wind does not die down, it would feel like -10F.

One apricot graft broke off. I dissected the buds. Actually, I did not have to. Dead as a door nail. I really think J. plums, pluots, nects and peaches are all gone since last week’s single digit temp for 3 nights.

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I think stonefruit here in Atlanta are also at risk. My plums/pluots have already formed fruitlets and the peaches are full bloom or post bloom. My Contender Peach hasn’t bloomed yet though and would likely be fine outdoors. East coast growers who don’t have it might want to consider it given these spring temperature swings and the delayed bloom.

I agree that after two years in a row of peach buds got wiped out by fluctuating temp in late winter, I need to look for peach varieties that have delayed blooms. Early blooming has been too risky these days.

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My stone fruit are at about the same stage, forecast Wednesday night is for 25, my place is in a low area and will probably hit 22. I have pretty much written off my plum crop, my Clayton and Challenger peach trees are the only ones not currently in full bloom. I planted new Contender and Intrepid last month​ and will probably be adding only late bloomers in the future.

@mamuang I’m especially sorry to hear you think you’ve lost most all of your stone fruit. You lost almost everything last year too. I’m extremely upset at the prospect of loosing mine just this one year, so I can’t imagine how frustrated you are.
I’ll go ahead and be the first to say what someone else always does when we loose all our fruit: This will be a good year to let our trees put all their energy into growth, so let’s take this opportunity to size up our small ones, prune/tie/shape them into better, healthier trees for the future, and especially let any new grafts get a very strong start.

@hoosierquilt - OK, sounds like you have earned your life in CA so I’m happy for you. I also must say that even though I knew you were into horses, nothing else I knew about you would have made me think you’d have such love for 350 Dually crew cab diesel Ford!!! You go girl. I definitely saw you as more of a European sedan or at most a nice SUV. But there is certainly no reason a classy lady can’t enjoy a big 'ole Truck. Good for you.

@olpea I have 1 peach tree that has swollen buds but none open. All my other trees have all or most bloom. That unbloomed tree is always the last to bloom and was labeled an Elberta. I’ve had other reasons to suspect it may not be an Elberta. Does its “late” (comparatively speaking) bloom suggest to you that it is or is not an Elberta? Thanks