Sorry to hear about the hail damage!
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Pines are somewhat picky of their soil. I lived 50 miles northeast of where I am now and it was called Gateway to the Pines. From there and East the pines grew like wildfire and came up everywhere. Where I am now there are pines that have been planted but I don’t see them just cropping up everywhere and they aren’t as big and pretty as just a few miles east of here. West of here you just don’t see them much. So, just the difference in the soil in a few miles makes a big difference in how well they grow. Having lived in them I really miss them being everywhere and miss hearing the wind whistle through them.
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Apples are finally starting to bloom. They are about a week behind last year. There by are some clusters that were damaged from the mid 20s temp they saw at tight cluster but overall looking good. Gonna be a bumper year for currants and gooseberries too.v
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I had a huge black currant year last year and am surprised to see that the bushes have more blossoms than last year. The netting is ready to go up!!!
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Very cool!!!
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Cold and very damp, the rain is almost gone. Sun for a few days on the way!
Far out man, I be trippin’ on those pics, man…
Are those your Ouachita blackberries in the first pic? Mine are starting to bloom now, along with Osage and Traveler.
Potted up 30 tomato seedlings to 16oz drinking cups on Monday, they were way too leggy, so I buried them deep in to the cup. They look pathetic, but have started to green up a little, guess they like their new home. Got them out on the porch, hardening them off before they go in the ground next week. They’ll probably be ok, tomatoes are pretty tough.
Going to try to till today, and tomorrow or Friday, sow some corn, cukes and beans, and transplant some earlier sown tomatoes that have been sitting on the deck for a couple weeks in small pots. Lots of Brandywine and Watermelon 'maters will be going in the ground, among others.
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Nice, what kind of currants and gooseberries are you growing? One of our GB plants has small berries already, could be a big crop this year.
Yes they are sir. I’ve been picking ripe ones for nearly a month now. I just fell into the picture effects and thought they were cool. I guess they are kind of pyschadelic…lol…
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Found this antique embosser today, well I knew where it was (in an old greenhouse where I work) but decided to check it out closer. I’m thinking of buying and restoring it, looks like the rust is mostly superficial and I’ve done less complicated tools with electrolysis before. I think they might even still make them if I need spare parts. It says "“SOLD FOR USE IN THE UNITED STATES ONLY” then a series of patent dates, and “ROOVERS BROTHERS BROOKLYN NY”
Anyone with experience restoring complicated old stuff?
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The above pictured currant is a Primus white currant, they are my largest and most productive. For whites I have 3 Primus send 2 white imperial. The white imperial are about half the size and half the production.
For reds I have rovada they are pretty productive but not in the best spot. I have them growing along a fence to create an edible hedge and a visual screen so my dog doesn’t go crazy at other dogs walking down the street.
Rovada
For gooseberries I have Invicta, hinnomaki red, poorman, black Velvet, and jahn’s prairie. I have these along the fence too. The Invicta are the most productive but the black Velvet taste the best. Although I haven’t had any of poorman or jahn’s prairie yet.
Gooseberry hedge
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Those look very nice and large, how old are they?
Which of the currants are the best tasting off the plant?
I’ve always heard BV is usually the best tasting of the GB’s. I tried for two years to try to get HR to take and they never did. Two years ago I planted Jeanne, Poorman and Oregon Champion, and OC has been the most vigorous, about 3ft tall now, loaded with berries this year. My wife picked it up at Tractor Supply. Jeanne (from honeyberryusa) is about 2ft tall, has a few fruit buds on it, and Poorman (Indiana Berry) is just about a foot tall, just hasn’t taken off. I gave them all a dose of Hollytone fert this spring and they’re really sprung up.
I don’t have any currants, but might try some next year.
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The currants were planted in spring 2015. The white currants are from Indiana berry, the reds were from Jung’s. The Invicta and hinnomaki red were planted in 2016 from stark bros, and the black Velvet, jahn’s prairie, and poorman were planted in 2017 from Indiana berry. Poorman is definitely my least vigorous gooseberry too.
For currants i can’t really eat too many fresh they are usually quite tart, but the whites are a bit sweeter than the reds. I’ll throw a handful in a salad to give it a little kick, and they make a great jelly. I like currants because they are carefree in my yard and are adaptable to various growing conditions. I’m rooting cuttings so I can plant more.
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Thanks, they look great. My GB’s from Indiana Berry were just little thorny twigs, quite small. Other plants (strawberries and brambles) I get from them with awesome roots, but the GB’s were puny. I’ve heard that it doesn’t take much of a cutting to get going, so maybe I’m being critical. The Jeanne from HBUsa was great.
The pic of your Rovada looks like it’s loaded with flowers, or am I seeing things?
Got the big garden plot tilled this evening, man, was that a chore. It’s about 25 x 60 feet, and I did two runs on it with a front-tine tiller with 4 tines. It’s like riding a bronco, a real workout for the back and shoulders. But, now the plot looks great with that finely ground loam, almost looks like ground coffee.
Gotta do the other two plots tomorrow, and then do some planting…
Yeah the rovada produces pretty well, at least 3 out of my five do, the other 2 are smaller and less fruitful but could be do to location. The Primus is far and away tops in production though
Primus
I’ll probably have close to a gallon of berries off each Primus bush. This was about half of the white currants from last year
Compared to the red currants mostly from the 3 most productive bushes.
And here are some gooseberries, majority are Invicta.
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Wow, what a haul! Thanks for sharing the pics. So, judging by the date stamps on the pics, they are usually ripe for y’all in early -mid July? Since you are farther north than me, maybe my OC would be ready by, say mid June? They are about 1/4 to 1/3" size now.
Curious as to what you do with all those. Preserves, syrup, jam? All of the above?
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