Early Spring it is 2020

General Fruit Growing
#21

Wow. Still 10-12" of snow on the ground in most spots here.

#22

huge banks here. about 5ft. of compacted snow in the yard. can only see the tips of my elderberry and apple.

2 Likes
#23

I have a number of my plum and peach trees blooming. I have not seen many bees probably due to the changing temperatures. It was a mild winter in my part of VA.

E_Peach_3_2020
E_Peach_3_20202448×3264 4.78 MB
B_Plum_2_3_20
B_Plum_2_3_202448×3264 3.58 MB
SRosa_3_2020
SRosa_3_20201730×2307 2.71 MB

7 Likes
#24

I bought Mason and Orchid bees this year. I was waiting till getting to your stage to put them out but I put them out anyway 2 days ago. still too chill to wake them up. So when it stops raining I am going to try to warm them up with a loose plastic bucket.

#25

Most peaches and nectarines are self fertile.

Plums need pollinizers but it can be anything besides bees. However, if it is cold, no insects want to leave their nests.

#26

We have bees. I know because my son, who is irrationally afraid of them, had a fit about seeing some.

#27

I saw a few native micro bees but not in enough quantity. Last year I had decent fruit set but also more normal bloom times. PC hit me hard. Not willing to leave that to chance again.

#28

Have you try to bag the fruits?

#29

not recently.

#30

I saved my bags from last year. That should save cutting them

#31

Sleeping on the job
image
image
image
image

5 Likes
#32

I just had a Besaster., my scion/bee fridge got unplugged for the 24 hours after I released half of my supply… Opened the box and Bees flew out of the box in my basement. released some other box trapped in the morning but just as many cocoons didn’t wake by this evening. Fortunately there seems to be plenty of saviors. Just no extras for when the apples and pears wake up.

Tomarrow I graft very warm scions

image

2 Likes
Plum bloom times
#33

I’ll be putting my bees out Sunday, after the cold unsnaps. I hate having a fridge full of bees flying around

2 Likes
#34

Thanks to Coronovirus shutting down industry and transportation. Winter decided to come back for one last spin. Only one Blue orchard bee was seen today and the next few days are expected to average in the 40’s. All during peak bloom for my plum trees.

#35

I hand pollinate for about an hour a day.bb

1 Like
#36

That will be my Tuesday. Its calling for rain tomarrow.

#37

Correction, Ice is falling from the sky

#38

The bb after Brady must stand for busy bee, lol

2 Likes