Don’t mind my garage… My Spice Zee has been this way for a few weeks now. Temps in my garage haven’t been above 38. It isn’t forecasted to be above 40 until the 10th. Anything I should be worried about?
Do you get sunlight in there? Almost has to be the lengthening of the daylight…plants responding… worry? have no idea…but they look like they want to open soon! hand pollinate and pray for warm weather?
I’ll take a pic of my spice zee tomorrow…very much dormant.
I think as long as it doesn’t get much below 32F,the buds should be okay and try to keep the inside temperature below 45F,until there is no chance of freezing going on outside.Then the plant can be brought out.
Going to keep growing in a container?
Where is your location? Brady
The only daylight comes from the garage door opening and closing. On average probably 5 times a day, but usually only enough to pull the car in or out, sometimes sweeping it out. With it being self fertile what would you suggest as the best way? I take it mother nature would use wind and/or insects. Maybe a paint brush from flower to flower?
I had plans on bringing it out for the day when it will be around 50’s, then back into the garage at nights when it can get down (and is predicted to be) in the 20’s. We are expecting possible wintry mix, etc so I figure take it day by day. Maybe bring it inside if it really gets bad.
Container, yes. Zone 5 so no chance of it working here.
if the leaves start pushing then you’ll have to get it some sunlight. you have a greenhouse? Last winter i just brought a Flavor King right into the kitchen (south facing patio doors/lots of light) and it did fine.
Nope… no greenhouse… I want to build one. Only large window we have is in the dining room, faces dead east. Then we have a large window above our front door on the second story that faces west. The only Sun we don’t get is when it’s high in the sky.
Btw, got a pic of your Spice Zee?
Well looks like I won’t be able to bring it outside until at least the 11th now. Lol… extended forecast has changed in the last 12 hours. Went from a high of 54 on the 10th to 40.
On even better news is the cold isn’t leaving here anytime soon. The low changed for Wednesday also. Went from -2 now to -10. This has just been awesome!! First the lowest it had been here this year was -8 and in just the last 2 weeks, we have obliterated that with -18 and past -10 on a few days.
Will this winter PLEASE JUST END?!?!?
Not a great pic, but very well dormant. The tree is buried back in with a bunch of other trees. One thing i’ve noticed over the years is very thin wood and wood towards the top of the tree/end of the branches dries out on my overwintered trees…peaches more so then others…pluots seem fine. I know this year i watered them well a few days before moving them in…i figured they are getting dried out over winter… I try leaving them outside as late as possible. Hopefully next winter i can raise the temps some by insulating …extended shows extreme warmth out west in the Datotas…i’m sure we’ll see 70Fs and 80Fs out by Rapid City/Denver in a week 10 days…who knows.
I’m trying this post as a test,to post an image from Photobucket.
This is a shot of the Spice Zee I have.It’s a little warmer here,but could get to the upper 20’s in the next few nights,kind of critical as they are in first bloom.After the next couple of days,the lows should be in the upper 30’s to 40’s.
Thanks Rob for the tip about Photobucket. Brady
Have a few questions since both of you appear to have grown this tree and have had it fruit in the past.
1.) What time frame are we looking at from first bloom to when it’s ready to be harvested?
2.) To set larger fruit (size not quantity) does Spice Zee benefit from having a separate tree to pollinate even though it’s self fruitful? I have heard of other self fruitful trees that benefit from having one.
3.) Is Spice Zee one of those fruits that needs heat to ripen like some plums and pluots?
Thanks!!
Last year,mine were harvested about the third week of August,the 19th to be exact,but my area is different than yours.
I never did any kind of helping last year,but used a q-tip the other day when doing some Plums to Pluots.I transferred pollen between a Raspberry Red Nectarine and the Spice Zee,totally unsure about the effect.
Yes,I think sunlight and heat will put in flavor. Brady
Mine hasn’t fruited yet… I have a Red Raspberry coming this spring. That one sounds excellent. I also have Atomic Red which is a white nectarine.