Another labour-intensive chore, bagging, is mostly done.
This is to reduce pesticide spraying, not to eliminate it as pest pressure here is to great to go non-spray.
I use different bags for different fruit.
Apples - sandwich ziplock bags work well. Should work well with pears, too. Some people use them successfully with peaches. @BobVance ’s dad is one of them.
I had only one Orangered apricot this year after the other two got stolen (squirrels were main chief suspects). Almost all flower buds were killed during late freeze. It did not fully ripen but needed to be picked.
Mine are not quite ripe yet, but will be next week . I think I will make jam. They are not as big, because I grow them in pots, but they will taste great. They are getting redder! They are still very orange . Wish you would come and taste them!
Found this on of my Crimson Sweet watermelon vines. Look like nutrient deficiency on one side of the leave. Wonder if the yellow side has some internal malfunctioning mechanism.
@thecityman have you seen this in your watermelon vines?
@mrsg47 ,
This spring to summer, we have had a drought, although not as bad as where you are. See more sunburn damages in my bagged fruit esp. ziplock bags on apples.
Horrible. I had that on only one apple, but on my terrace the trees are sitting in 104 degrees F. I removed the apple. My tomatoes looked the same. A huge burn spot, not blossom rot.
**One thing learned this summer . . . ** Grow fruit with staggered ripening times.
All of our Mericrest nectarines ripened within one week. Harko lasting a bit longer. And both are within a week or 2 of one another. Redhaven is right there with them . . . this year a week or 2 later. Too much fruit - in too short a time. I need some late peaches or nectarines.
I do have an Indian Free tree . . . which ripens very late. Any other suggestions for me . . . anyone?
I don’t want any more trees to care for - but will shoot for grafting later varieties onto the Indian Free.
Yup, staggering ripening time is good but for me, it is harder as I do not have big yard. Grafting is a way to go but I don’t get a lot of fruit from each variety.
I posted this on another thread. You can see which varieties you want to spread out the ripening time.
My friend in southern Germany said it is bad. No snow last winter. When it rains, it poured and most water went down the drains instead of lawn. Underground water table has been very low.
This is very bad for her area because it is just the beginning of summer.
I originally got Winblo from Vaughn. They still show the peach on their website. I’d be surprised if they didn’t carry it. I’ve spoken with the owner, he is pretty tight with NCSU peach breeding program.
I can’t remember where I got my first Risingstar for my backyard from, but I think it was Adams. The other Risingstars I bought for the orchard were from VanWell.
My first plum of this year, a Japanese plum, Early Magic. Thanks to @alan .
We have had drought this year so that is a plus. The texture is soft/firm asI did not let them overripe. It tastes a combo of sweet/tart. We like it. I tested 6 plums for brix. It came up between 17-19.
As far as I know, there is no nursery now producing this plum, perhaps because it is susceptible to bacterial spot (same deal with another fav of mine, Reema). Reema is as good and Early Magic is certainly the best of early plums I grow, unless you count Spring Satin, which is an exceptional early fruit when allowed to soften on the tree- but it is truly an aprium, uniquely showing the qualities of both fruit. I may start giving Reema and EM some copper in early season and see if it doesn’t clear up the spots and shotholes, even though they are already adequately productive and it probably wouldn’t be any problem if I had dawn to dusk sun.
