What's happening today 2020

I drove out to Ithaca today and picked up my root stock order from Cummins (60 G.890 and 50 M.7 this year in addition to what remains in the nursery bed). They had tons of grafts done in many 5 gal buckets that they said would be planted out this spring, probably May (I should have taken a photo). The place was much as I expected it to be, definitely a working farm. I got a kick out of the crates on my way out with the names of many west coast nurseries stamped on them, likely from shipments of root stock from years past. Guess tomorrow I can begin grafting scion I received from Geneva.

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I have found that sweet cherries with swollen buds will have a miserable take rate.

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Thats interesting only tried grafting cherries last year mainly for fun/pollination, took swollen bud scions from neightbours trees straight onto my swollen bud old bing trees had over 80% takes…i have some ranier scions in the fridge that im going to try this year, will keep everyone updated

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Took a peek at my graft jobs through the bag, and it looks like I already had teeny little buds peeking out on a couple scions, so that’s a good sign, but still too early to declare success.

The other two look a little bit swollen, but hard to tell for sure thru the yellow plastic. I’ll check them again tomorrow for any more progress.

Speaking of the weather, one pluot is kinda blooming, that one pear looks like it’s progressing from tight cluster, and my peaches are at pink bud stage. We’re forecast to drop to 26 sat nite, so I’m hoping they can hold off a bit, but temps near 70 a couple days this week will coax them some more.

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All my plums are in full bloom and they are gorgeous. I notice the differences for the first time. Some are pure white, and others less so. I hang around the petals, but dont see much action, and it worries me. Girl scout that I am, I have a vibrating bee on a stick, or a paintbrush, or a petal, hoping to be a poor excuse for a bee. I had two hives and great anticipation for their very first spring which came tragically to a quick end. Then I thought I had ordered mason bees, and was waiting with great anticipation for them, too. Today I figured out that I must have gone all the way through the order except for the last click. My beloved peach trees are starting to open and Paul tells me it will be 27 on Saturday night. I need encouragement that the sun will shine tomorrow, and I will wake up with just as much eagerness to plunge forward in to my orchard and see what unfolds before me. Encouragement needed!

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Tonight could have the last freezing temperature here,until later in the year.Yay!bb

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Very pretty! Mine are first year blooms. Some variety, but quite tiny so far


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Our yellow crocuses have been up for a week, just getting the purples now, too. Our dwarf irises also just started in. We just planted the bulbs last year, so it’s still a little sparse. But still way better than the pretty much nothing that was here when we moved in.

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It is still early here but the weather has been warm so I’m trying to get at the trees.
Last year, I skipped pruning the old plums so they are lots of work now. I think I cut about a dozen saplings worth off the one!
The pears had vigorous growth last year and I was able to confirm that I could festoon them. This year I’ll fully commit to it so have to finish the base shaping and pulling down. One of the 2 is now mostly clipped back and ready for tie down. One to go!

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Sounds like you have plenty to keep you busy for awhile! :wink:

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I hope you will be surprised… there are probably bees everywhere, they are just being shy! And the weather, well, seems like the forecast is wrong at least 50% of the time!!! :grin:

The sunny and 60 yesterday (forecasted on Friday) turned out to be 51 and cloudy, with rain commencing at 4 p.m.
The sunny and 58 today…if we see sun, I’ll be surprised, and we may not see 50.
Tomorrow and Thursday, the 72 that was forecast has been lowered to 66…and that’s probably too optimistic!

How many other jobs can you have and be wrong most of the time and still keep your job?
The 3-day forecast was more accurate 50 years ago than it is now.

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Got these pussy willow cuttings in the mail yesterday from @Rosdonald, thank you!!! Will get them in the ground if it isn’t raining later today!

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what is a level 3 poster? the help facility does not clarify that.

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Pruned the last big standard trees at my (temporary) work place.
Mostly before Pruning: ( As always I didn’t think to make a picture until there was already quite a lot of work done but you get the picture)

After Pruning:

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That is a “regular” … there are certain requirements of how many days of the last 100 you visited etc etc. If you want to know your status PM me and I can tell you.

thank you.

Super! Hope they work for you :grin:

Asian pears are opening their buds. Glad the weatherpeople raised the forecasted lows for this weekend.

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First grafts of the season around 10 days or more ago…look promising.
Got at least 35 more to go.