That’s a mighty swell thing to see in the snow!
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Ha! Indeed it is.
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Starting to uncover my step over fig so that the lower layers of soil can start to thaw. I’ll leave the pile there so I can cover it back up if the lows dive back down.
It might have a little cold damage at the tips, but overall it looks like it made it through the winter.
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I’m really behind on orchard/garden updates! We’ve finally settled in to spring here. I’m currently waiting on some peach and paw paw grafts to show signs of life. My maras des bois strawberries are loaded with blooms this year. Hopefully, I can keep the birds and chipmunks at bay and get a harvest.
We added some trilliums over the weekend, and came home to find somebunny had sampled one. Fortunately, it didn’t like it enough to eat the other stem, but I took appropriate precautions to make sure it can establish in peace.
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Some more happenings!
Put in a new garden bed (in desperate need of mulching). This will eventually be mostly native perennials with some other fun perennials, but it will be mostly annuals this year.
Added a second in-ground fig, Unk. Boston #12, in front of the house.
New raised beds for veggies!
And we picked up a nice new hosta “Brutus” which is supposed to get quite big. Brutus is seen here with some sweet Joe Pye weed.
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Good stuff. Longtime lurker on the site, but signed up a week or so ago.
I’m a little north of you up in the Lakes Region, but I’m growing a lot of similar things as you. Some of my grafted pawpaws are into year 3 and I have many starting from seed in varying tree pots like you as well. I’m also trying some in smaller propagation air pots too.
I had a bunch of different figs, but last winter really did a number on them…even the potted ones in the garage. I left my large potted ronde de bordeaux out all winter piles up in snow for insulation and it still got wiped out. It was probably 2" caliper at the base, but it was getting too heavy to move. I have a chicago hardy this year that I may plant in my chicken run this season or let it root out more in a larger air pot and plant it next spring.
I also took my first stab at grafting apple trees this spring. So far, so good, but we’ll see if they’re truly “taking” or if the scions are just putting out their stored energy. I’ve been doing a lot of nut trees here too…american chestnut, black walnut, shagbark hickory, butternut, and chinquapins.
My pawpaws have been slow to size up so I’ve been going with frequent doses of diluted urine this year. What have you been having success with down there?
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Welcome to the forum! It sounds like you’ve got a lot of cool stuff going on. I’m in early days still; the only significant harvest I’ve had is from strawberries, but I did get a handful of currants, cherries, and figs last year. I’m letting my peach carry a handful of fruit this year, so hopefully I’ll get to sample those. I think next year is the year things will really start to come into their own, but my strawberries are looking pretty promising.
What’s done best for me so far are my native perennials, especially the Monarda and Solidago I planted for tea purposes, and anise hyssop, too.
I’m sorry to hear about your figs! Most of my rootstock persimmons that I had in the garage died to the roots, as did my two remaining potted pawpaws. It’s funny, because the winter was fairly mild overall and as far as the full minimum were concerned, but we did have that good solid cold snap in late winter. Everything in ground looks great, though.
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Strawberries are coming in nicely!
We’re picking at least a quart a day for the last five days. This was 2 quarts from a couple days ago. I thought about stockpiling enough to make jam, but we decided eating them fresh was the best use of the quantity we have.
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I think I don’t have the red/fuchsia anymore. At least I know where to find it 
I love my red peony. It is a show stopper.
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Picked all the redcurrants a few days ago. I think next year it’ll really start hitting its stride, but they’re pretty tasty in the meantime! I’m finding Rondom berries to be decent sized, sweet, and juicy with great flavor. No seedier than a blackberry. Some of the berries are a little astringent, but I think those just needed to hang a little longer.
Also, my French shallots were ready to pull, so they’re now hanging to cure. I’m very happy with this year’s harvest. A little more weight overall than the last few years, and the average size is much better. I’d say 60% are golf ball sized or better, and only a few tiny ones.
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My first peaches ever are coloring up! Now it’s time to play chicken with the squirrels and raccoons. They haven’t shown any interest in my peach tree, but I know it doesn’t take long once they’re onto it.
And the shallots are done curing. Very pleased with this year’s harvest.
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What variety is your peach?
I don’t eat enough shallots to grow them. Yours look very nice. My family is into garlics and onions.
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It’s Redhaven. I’ve added a branch of Hakuto as well. I keep trying to get Indian Free on it, but I can’t get it to stick!
I’m a big fan of these French red shallots. They have an excellent flavor and they keep for a year or more at room temp.
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Funny thing. Red Haven is a good relatable peach. Somehow, I have not had it in my collection. I have grafted 20+ peaches and tried most of them. All yellow peaches taste similar (to me).
Hope you can ripen your Indian Free. It is a late peach. The taste is too tart for me.
Does that French shallot has a specific name?
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They were sold to me as “French red” by Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. They also carry the hard-to-find gray shallots, and it looks like they’ve also added a “French round” shallot.
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Some chefs refer to shallots as “the queen of onions”. That’s a beautiful tray of them you’ve cured.
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Thanks! It takes so little space and effort to grow and store a year’s supply of shallots, I don’t know why more people don’t grow them. Thats 2.6 Kg from maybe 500 g planted. They yield even better with fall planting, but I find the bulbs are cleaner and store better with spring planting in cold winter climates.
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