FINALLY. So far, 2015 is starting off looking really good for most of our fruit. Our peaches didn’t freeze out, nor did they overproduce so much that we will spend an eternity thinning. Our apples have the best fruit set they ever had, many trees fruiting for the first time. Our orchard is very young, being only 8 years old. It will be exciting to try the many different new varieties we’ve been waiting on. I’ve been especially anxious to try Sundance. Our cherries are loaded, and we have a decent amount of plums for the first time. The pears that survived our fireblight outbreak also have a decent amount of fruit. Our wild paw paws have more blooms than ever, and the cultured paw paws I thought were dead may still have a glimmer of hope. Our apricots will meet the chainsaw next year as they yet again failed to set any fruit. I would rather have peaches anyway.
Our gooseberries, currants, and blueberries are simply covered in berries. However, I did have some issues with several black currants losing their leaves shortly after leafing out. I have too many of them anyway and won’t mourn their demise. The same disease has affected the aronia too. Again, I won’t miss them either. Several young gooseberries were hurt by the winter, but they’re still alive. I have more than I need anyway. Elderberries are spreading like crazy. There appears to be some winter dieback on some of them, but I have enough mature plants to supply all I will want–I think. The everbearing raspberries look fantastic if I can get them thinned and weeded. Black raspberries experienced some winter dieback, but others not affected have a surplus of blooms. As usual, our Concord grapes are setting a lot of clusters.
Disappointments this year are the summer raspberries yet again. I don’t know why they fail to thrive like their counterparts. I think I may have finally lost the seedless grapes, and that’s ok. They were not impressive anyway. We are also pretty short on blackberry blooms. Only my Chesters look good. I have been enormously disappointed w/Triple Crown in so many ways. While in a good year, it is covered in berries and offers a nice sweet berry, it is the first to suffer winter damage, it is a royal PITA to maintain, and it matures so late that there is almost always major druplet damage caused by heat. I put more work into them with so little reward. Still, I plan on keeping them until I retire and have the time needed to replace them if they continue to disappoint me. They may be tough to eradicate. I ripped out several of them last year with the tractor, and they still kept coming back. Tordon time maybe. There was also some dieback to the newly planted Osage, but they’re coming back strong from the roots.
It’s early I know, but at least the spring looks promising. Here’s hoping the same for you!!
After my tree bark mess from deer and rabbits I really thought I lost about 15 trees. I did not. They are all sprouting leaves and are trying to come back. The trees I pruned to 10" above the graft union art starting to sprout leaves.; Thus far One Mirabelle (Metz) is loaded with flower buds, as is my Italian Plum and Reine Claude de Bavay. The Plums are incredible this year. The ‘no name’ peach is loaded with blossoms, the Elberta is sparse as is the Shui Mi Tao, but the Early Crawford is loaded. My Pristine apple has a lot of buds as does my Enterprise and Jonagold. This year my Motts Pink apple also has many buds. My Montmorency cherry will allow me to make pies and go into serious jam production. All of the raspberries and black berries are leafing out. The strawberries are about to flower. Only one apricot out of three has flowers the other two are still alive but are really chewed. There is not one blossom on my combo pear that has been in the ground for 5 years that is disappointing as I bought the plastic molds to turn the pears into small buddahs. Again it will be a huge year for currants. I have a young teen coming over today to start weeding after school, that is very exciting for me! There are also many bees. Mrs. G
What zone are you in? Do you have to do anything special to make your Concord grapes set. I have 3 grape vine with blossoms and they have yet to open and set. i am afraid that they won’t set. any tips and suggestions?
Yes, I meant to address that to you, roundface. I understand your worry then. Still, those bud clusters hung on the vines for a long time before opening here. It could be a few more weeks before yours open, since fruits do tend to do their things earlier down here where it gets warmer earlier. Other than making sure they have enough water without drowning them, I’m not aware of what you should do to ensure that they do flower and develop fruit. Maybe someone who understands grapes will notice your question.
Thanks! @MuddyMess_8a. Oh how I long for zone 7 or 8. what other grape vines do you have apart from Concord? I like the taste of Concord but don’t like the soft texture. Whilst on the subject of grapevine. Do you grow Muscadines? I bought 1 vine (self-fertile Cowart) then changed my mind but vendor sent anyway so I got my $$ back Got it in a pot and it is just trying to leaf out, I heard that in zone6 and 7, it would be a waste of time growing them cos you won’t get any muscadines
Here in SE NY the flower show is amazing. The only problem is everything is blooming at once so the pollinators are spread a bit thin. We will see how that pans out.
Could be a crazy ass bumper crop year, but it’s only spring.
Roundface, muscadines are what they push here. They evidently come in both dessert and wine type. It seems that most people here love them. I’ve only tasted any a couple of times, and didn’t really care for those. So, I’ve never planted any. The things I crave, the things I’m attracted to planting, tend to be more suited for areas other than here. Maybe the only things I plant that are truly appropriate for the area are peaches, figs, blueberries, sweet potatoes, peanuts, and peppers.
I bought some dessert Muscadines to eat last yr and I like them. I am surprised you didnt like them since you grow Concord. Perhaps you tasted the ones for wine making one or a not so good dessert? You should be able to grow quite a few things with your zone
the list you have planting sounds great. Most of my plantings are in pots so they dont produce much and suffer from lack of full sun as well, I planted sweet pot once and got a few. Was tempted to try again this yr but shipping for a few slips is too much. I tried to root a store bought but not having luck. I do have a few store bought potatoes in 5 gal containers, growing at the moment.
I hope so too. My own orchard is VERY young compared to yours, infant I suppose, with some old and trusty stock here when we moved in (N. Spy and black mulberry) but most of my stuff is just 2-3 years old, some even less than a year.
Blueberry blooms are amazing this year; particularly my bumper-crop stars, Patriot. Raspberries are showing strong awakenings - I’m amazed at Crimson Night and Kiwi Gold, exceptionally strong starts. Apples are now in bloom…heavenly clouds of pink and white. Gorgeous and promising and does my heart good. My peach and Jap. plum bloom was the weakest this year; the Euros on my combo tree are waking up and French is beating slow to rouse Italian ( I just planted that tree so it won’t be fruiting this year anyway). I wonder if the late and nasty spring chill (we went down to 29 not that long ago - 2 weeks?) had anything to do with that? Mulberry bloom is super late, it only showing signs of life now. I think that must be the chilly spring. BT Fig is leafing out well as of today!
My only losses this year were Anne raspberries and an Elliot blueberry. Anne just not hardy enough for me, they showed up briefly, coughed and died. They have been replaced with Jewel black and I shan’t entertain them until they are bred to behave like a proper self-respecting weed. The Elliot was not a favorite, berries were always watery and the plant had a weird, twisty growth habit. It has been replaced with a Duke.
Hoping right back at you and everyone for a great year!!! After this winter it would be a lovely payback for everyone. Happy Spring!!!
I am thrilled with my fruit set (much of it over set mostly thanks to my growing Mason bee friends and much improved sun exposure). If all goes well, I will be finally able to try some Irish Peach, Williams Pride (never seen such red fruitlets), Black Twig Mammoth, Etter’s Gold, Lord Lamborne and more Alkmene , Ashmeads and Holstein apples. My Lapins will put out more cherries and I might get some Surefire and Danube as well. The Conference pear was loaded with beautiful blossoms but alas, no pollinator in time. Hopefully my new Orcas will help out in a year or two.
As hard as it is, I vow to pluck the blossoms off my too-young Bonum, Reine des Reinette, and Discovery. All of my grafts look promising but the Green Newtown is keeping me on the edge of my chair. I’m hoping it is just sleeping in late.
I thinned a bit and placed the Surround soaked footies on the larger fruitlets. All are in containers and thus get a head start but especially so as we’re having a fairly mild Spring in general. My Jefferies never woke up. All else survived winter and the move. Just missing three labels off GoldRush, Esopus Spitzenberg and I-forget. A fruitful season to you all.
Carole
Quill, be sure to give us a review at harvest. Especially interested to hear how you think the Irish Peach apple tastes, and the ripening date. I’ve heard it’s one of the earliest apples to ripen and am curious to learn from your experience. Are you in Wash state or Oregon??
The picture that was posted is close but that is the ‘baby’ my molds have praying hands and are beautiful. I bought them from a seller in China. The name of their company is ‘Fruit Mold’, I think. I also purchased stars for Roma tomatoes and cucumbers. Should be fun. If only I had some pears!!! Mrs. G
I was thinking what a great year it was shaping to be, but every time I start thinking that way a big hit of reality always comes along. I got my hit of reality this morning when I found the freak black knot outbreak I had last fall I had not completely pruned out. So, I had to remove about a third of my European plum shoots. I also will need to put a high priority on monitoring for black knots so I can get them all out. Something happened last year in the weather to make it perfect for black knot, I went overnight from having almost none to having a serious problem.
Hi Matt
I never have been able to try an Irish Peach as the fruit festivals here tend to be later. IP got rave reviews on the Orange Pippin site so my interest was piqued. Sadly I lost two of my other early apples: Sweet Bough (last year) and Jefferies (this year) before they were of bearing age. So far it looks healthy.
I’m in Western Washington aka the wet side although summers of late have been nice. Eastern WA is where the larger commercial orchards are and has more desert-like conditions.
Carole
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After this winter it would be a lovely payback for everyone. Happy Spring!!!
