What's Happening Today 2021

Thanks. I only keep Honey Jar pits as I heard that it is more reliable in having seeds.

1 Like

Apricots splitting their shucks now. I never expected to have apricots this year

5 Likes

Mines too. Do you spray anything for PC or other pests?

2 Likes

I do, but every year I have to wait till the apples have dropped their blooms, as I foolishly planted the cots next to the Gala tree.

3 Likes

My apricot tree died last year. I have branches grafted in peach and plum that blooms every year but seldom set fruit. It seems this year is the year to start a good habit of these graftings.

1 Like

Here is an idea for you on the strawberries!

Don’t give up hope, there is always a way to make it go if you are creative enough! I have (I think 15?) apple bench grafts that I swore I’d have room for when I bought them. It turns out I don’t, but instead I am planning to espalier all of them along my future fence line. The pears I have will “suffer” the same fate to make more room for persimmons and pawpaws!

2 Likes

From yesterday…I’ve got some serious peach pruning ahead of me. I’m not sure why more people in Maine don’t grow peaches…we’ve gotten fruit every year since the first ones went in the ground in 2012.


10 Likes

I’d imagine it’s because you are so far north that they stick to apples? I know it can be pretty mild after the hard winters though! Maybe you are just very lucky…

2 Likes

Today I thinned my fruit on my trees. The miracle is - that I had something to actually THIN ! Had a big ole’ bucket by the time I finished. I got tired of standing out there . . . so I sat under each tree - in a chair! :smile:

Learned that Indian Free peaches don’t need much thinning. They seem to set fruit in an ‘already thinned’ pattern! Anyone else have this experience? On the other hand - the Redhaven was loaded! And, oddly enough - the nectarines looked the most blemish-free. ?

11 Likes

The town that I am in has about 1,500 peach trees. We are on a ridge about 500’ above sea level here in Central Maine (the ocean is about 30 miles to the East as the crow flies)…so that helps with late spring frosts. The other peach orchard that inspired me to grow them here is 2 ridges over…he is a West Coast native that has had peach trees since the mid-90’s. So I guess that our geographic location coupled with a moderating climate and a bit of luck (maybe?) has allowed us to become the unofficial peach capitol of Maine (ha!). We’ve got a rep from the University of Maine cooperative extension visiting us in a couple of weeks and she mentioned that she may bring some new peach varieties to trial…exciting stuff!

6 Likes

Wow, thinned a lot of fruitlets. It is a good signs that you have plenty of fruits set this year. Our last frost day has not passed yet so still hoping this year we will not have too severe late frost. My India free, entire branch has two flowers, very pathetic. But better than none though.

2 Likes

There is a big difference in the density of blooms between varieties. Sometimes I think part of Redhaven’s claim to fame for cold hardiness is that it has so many blooms that even if it loses 90% there is still a lot of blooms. For me, PF24C is even worse. My favorite is O’Henry. Very few blooms, so it is really easy to thin. Too bad that I haven’t enjoyed the flavor of O’Henry all that much. Indian Free is in between from a bloom density standpoint, but I sure have enjoyed the flavor.

2 Likes

Awesome! Make sure you only leave one fruit every 10-12” and be on top of spraying and you should enjoy great fruits this summer… Which nectarine variety is this?

1 Like

My first year of thinning. I don’t think I could bear to only leave 10-12" between!

I left more like 4".
I had read - ‘leave a hand’s width’. ? You must have BIG hands, Ahmad! LOL Guess I should go back and bite the bullet - and take off more. ?

The 2 varieties I have are Mericrest and Harko. I have several nectarine scions that appear to have taken, as well - on both the peach and nectarine trees.

2 Likes

4 or even 6 inches is not enough at all for peaches/nectarines! Not only will you get subpar quality, but will also risk branch/scaffold breaking. If you are going after quantity you may as well buy them from supermarket or farmers market. Believe me, I am talking from experience, the difference in quality is very big between properly thinned and inadequately thinned. I leave one fruit per branch (towards its middle), and keep my branches 12-18” long by heading cuts; and this gives me the best quality nectarines.

10 Likes

OK. OK!
I’m going back out there and pulling more off. But I’m not happy about it! :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:
Seriously . . . . I know that you know what you are talking about. I’ll follow your lead.
‘The proof is in the pudding’.

4 Likes

:joy: I am just trying to help you eat wonderful fruits at harvest time… Fruit thinning breaks the heart of even the most experienced growers :blush:

4 Likes

Sometimes,it will take me a few times, over about a week,to thin a tree.

1 Like

Do you leave a few extra in case of pest damage or other “accidents”? Then remove these later or all at once?

2 Likes

No, I don’t. I usually will get a handful of pest-injured fruits per tree after thinning (I bag my fruits), which is insignificant.

2 Likes