Sorry to see that, Clark. Kansas weather is quite extreme.
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Boy, that is tough, and you were doing so well with that crop. Shoot!
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Kansas is known for erratic weather. Once you get used to it it’s kind of fun to see what it’s going to give you. Everything is a blessing and I see it that way but I don’t expect anything. Anticipation of something from the weather leads to disappointment. Realistically when the weather ping pongs grafts fail, fruit set fails etc. . Kansas is right in the middle of the country and hot weather pushes from one side and cold from the other. The weather can quickly spark 100 degree temperatures, wind storms, tornadoes, dust storms, rain storms etc. . Places like California and Oregon have more uniform weather that’s easy to anticipate most of the time. Threads like this one http://www.growingfruit.org/t/strange-weather-will-it-get-our-blooms-and-fruit/3963 demonstrate those extremes. Here is an example of what I mean when I say erratic weather
It iced and snowed on my blooms but 2016 was a decent crop. This year is dry but it’s eliminating all the diseases and pests. When I say some locations have more consistent weather remember that could mean consistently bad but more predictable. California surprised me last year when the drought halted and the reservoirs filled. I never saw that coming but was relieved for them.
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Clark
If those Aronia won’t make it then you should replace them with a low maintenance and drought resistance Jujube. If you need Honey Jar jujube seeds this late Fall just pm me.
Tony
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I thought of your post when I saw this: https://earther.com/scorching-heat-wave-reveals-signs-of-ancient-civilizati-1827482705
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Fascinating article!
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They look like mirabelles!
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Looks bad there, how’s the pond doing?
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One of the ponds is a monster so it’s keeping up ok but down a lot of water nevertheless. The mud ponds are dry and the smaller spring fed large pond is way down. I’ve likely lost 6-7 feet of water.
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Although the plums are smaller the tree appears to be handling the dry weather. What variety of plum is it? Thanks, Bill
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@Auburn
Bill,
It’s a seedling that blooms very late and seems like it could be promising for all the reasons mentioned as a tree I replicate for my orchard here in Kansas. It might taste like hedge balls also so I’m waiting to see how the fruit tastes this year.
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This is officially as dry as it’s been here since the 1940’s! Even during this terrible drought we are doing well.
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Clark,
I hope you will some rain soon and a real wet Fall. Omaha kind of luckily because We had the Missouri River cut right through the edge of downtown. We got a decent amount of rainfall yearly.
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We too have had no rain, but our area is not as dry as yours, as our humidity and dew takes the edge off. My vegetables are all runted. Sad.
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Hang in there Clark! I have seen those same type of soil conditions here in the past. Only saving grace for my area is that there is an ample supply of ground water (for now at least). Most crops are irrigated. Very tough trying to raise cattle though when you dont get any rain.
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we were very dry here till’ a few weeks ago then got some big showers that came in and its been raing hard all day today. everything is back nice and green again.
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I’m deepening the ponds and fixing the dams while everything is all dried up. Never saw what 6 inches of moisture a year looked like until now. Desserts get that much moisture. “Generally, a desert is defined as an area that receives less than 10 inches” - Desert Biomes: Facts, Climate & Locations - Biology Class (Video) | Study.com
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I don’t mean to stray away from the topic but as I see your drought conditions I wonder if your Callery rootstock trees are showing any negative effects. They are very durable at my home.
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