What's happening today 2020

Yeah, the non-astringent hybrid seems like a unicorn, but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time. Maybe next year, maybe a hundred. Hopefully something more like 10…

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I sold these in the winter after spring grafting. I have a steep learning curve for all this. I think you could do whatever suits you. I basically wanted to get them sold before spring (and psylla attacks) and I basically put them out there to see what response was there. Truthfully it was a bit of a hassle explaining to people what I was selling and the difference between astringent/non astringent, etc. I figured a lot of them had bought a Fuyu in the grocery and expected all persimmons to be like that and that was a lot of the response I got. These were very small “trees” so I didn’t charge a lot. I plan to manage them differently this year so the product will be better. I hope anyway… I’ve got lots of different plans but because of the response I got from the general public I really increased my numbers. Last year I just grafted two of everything to make sure I got one for myself. Almost every graft took and I had to do something with all of them.

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If someone crosses JT-02 with a nonastringent (PCNA) then a very small percentage of the offspring will be nonastringent. I read that breeding nonastringent persimmons with astringent varieties results in few if any nonastringent offspring, because the nonastringent trait is recessive and Asian persimmons have 6 sets of chromosomes (hexaploid like the 90 chromosome D. virginiana). Where do we find this nonastringent male to breed with JT-02?

Cliff England has a pollination variant nonastringent hybrid but that’s not quite the same since it requires pollination to become nonastringent. It wouldn’t be something for those who don’t like seeds.

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Yeah, the odds are definitely low. But if you roll the dice enough times, you may get the desired outcome. If it were a major enough crop to warrant extensive university research and grant funding, there’s a lot they could do to increase the success rate, especially if they know what gene is responsible. Then they could test seed and know before they plant it if it will carry the gene.

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Thanks for the insights. That sounds a lot like what I’m thinking of. Basically just enough to keep myself grafting, although I’m sure I may find other excuses to perform tree surgery.

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I may take a Chocolate male flower and cross it with Jt-02. I wonder what the offsprings would be like?

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I think you have a good chance at getting PVNA offspring. That trait is not recessive from what I understand.

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New section of the nursery bed / Elderberry & Blueberry bed mulched and electric fence extended. Ready to plant out grafts this weekend.

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Thankful for these happy bees visiting my pineapple guava!

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Green gage is flowering extensively for the first time!

This little bee was visiting… looking closer though it has its tongue sticking out which means it got hit with insecticide. My neighbor sprayed the whole exterior of their home earlier in the day…

On a happier note I have a broody hen! She will make a good mom when I get her some fertile eggs to raise.

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Beautiful.

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Some things are blooming. And flowers I picked went to the graves.

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Trying not to sink in the mud, I put the straw on my potato bed.

Can’t help thinking if I’d done it 2 weeks ago they would have been spared freeze damage. Couldn’t get straw then. And they’ve recovered nicely.

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We just got hit with a wind event, my Acurite measured 65 mph wind. Powers out (actually went out just before we got hit) and trees are down all over. One of my favorite grafts got broken off, Luscious Pear on Serviceberry. It was actually the cage around it that toppled over and broke the graft off. Won’t be able to check the entire property until tomorrow. House and Cabin are OK, the garage has a very small dent from a white pine.

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I promised myself no more trees but you know how that goes. My figs grow as bushes not trees so this is an exception :smiley: and who doesn’t need another I-258 or say no to free I-258 cuttings?!

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I-258 is among my favorite figs, definitely worth having multiple plants of it, specially with potted trees you don’t get enough figs from one tree. I have multiple pots of all my favorite varieties, and it’s not only for production volume, but also as insurance, in case one dies over the winter.

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Likewise, Ahmad. I-258 is a definite favorite. The person I visited has his tree in the ground unprotected and it’s unbelievably massive! I am making multiples of a couple other varieties as well. My yard is filling up but my driveway can fit a few more pots.

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It has rained so much and so often that the grass has won. Looking for equipment that mows under water.

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I don’t want to have to get any of those heavy rescue trucks to pull the mower out of the mud

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And don’t I have the tire ruts to prove your point. I’m wondering if I could harness the huge mosquitoes that will be showing up soon.

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