I don’t see this one started yet, so I’m going to jump on in there and kick it off.
We’re solid short sleeve spring days here when it should be sub-freezing and snow covered. I’m a bit worried about the results for actual spring after Jack Frost invariably snubs his nose at us again, but I’m taking advantage of the ability to be outside nonetheless.
I just finished moving a Persimmon tree of unknown variety that was right on top of my driveway. Taller than me, but still pretty small. Probably a 15 gallon hole. I expected to be doing this when it was a lot colder. Hopefully it is not being tempted to wake up. It was still being fed by its parent, and it had one long thick root that goes under my driveway, so hopefully the roots it has will be sufficient to keep it alive. I may top it to reduce the demand on the roots it has. They looked good.
Neither of the two trees has noticeably flowered yet, and the small one is at least six years old and had it’s own sucker. I’ve grafted assorted things onto both the last two years, so hopefully if we are just missing the flowers and it needs a pollinator we’ll be lucky this year or next.
Lunch is next on the agenda, then repotting a few things that are either still in their original pots, or which will appreaciate a bit more buffer as we enter the pogo-stick temperature season.
Welcome in 2023 everyone, and may this year prove fruitful for you all.
In metropolitan San Diego, residents like myself are wearing long pants and sweaters or jackets in the 50°-60°F weather but the tourists are easily spotted in shorts and short sleeves around town plus swimwear at the beaches. Note that women are not required to wear dresses here.
Some apples putting out leaves (red fleshed crabs)…honeyberries have some blooms. Too early, of course, most likely. But the 19 F
on Friday night did no apparent damage.
Finished up a small patio to place Adirondack chairs near where Katie my lab was buried. A good place for reflection and enjoying the creek and birds that frequent it. I particularly enjoy watching the great blue heron and kingfishers antics. Also ducks that plunge their heads into the icy waters.
Will soften the rock ledge with plants and add some nice landscaping. Also plan to add a trio of paper birches nearby. I want to convert some of the adjacent land into meadow, but I’m getting overwhelmed now that grafting time is approaching. I may wait until fall.
This will be my spot for tasting apples.
I was pleased with the result for a first try laying pavers. The site is on a hill which gave me trouble trying to dig it out by hand and come up with the right slope for drainage by myself. I dug it out with a shovel and mattock and cut the pavers dry with an angle grinder and diamond blade.
I finally put together a NorthStar 21-Gallon Sprayer that I bought 3.5 years ago :), and over the weekend I sprayed all my stone fruit trees plus apple, pear and quince trees with dormant oil mixed with copper. I have to admit, I didn’t do any spraying for years, but this winter is so rainy and also more rain in the forecast, I was afraid I will see a lot of blossom brown rot, peach leaf curl, fireblight and aphids this spring if I don’t do anything. Strong wind and rain forecast for Tuesday, so I’m glad I have finished all spraying over this past weekend. A few trees here are already blooming but no leaves yet.
Wouldn’t spraying affect the blooms? Many of the trees are in full bloom. I did spray dormant oil but didn’t spray for leaf curl. I thought I was already past that point
None of my peaches and nectarines are in bloom yet (one tree had literally two open flowers, others had none). I skipped a few apricots and pluots that are already in bloom (four or five trees in total out of … many ).
Weather here is trying to become spring already. It’s mostly to late to cut scions for most fruits with a fair number of my plums breaking bud; cherry plum and Ozark Premiere nearing ballon blossom stage. I have grafted several plum varieties in my greenhouse using scions I received that had swelling flower buds.
Dennis
Kent, wa
We’re looking at at least two solid days at below 10 F, never mind the wind chill:
Tuesday Night
A 50 percent chance of snow before 11pm. Patchy blowing snow after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 1. Wind chill values as low as -13. Blustery, with an east wind 18 to 23 mph decreasing to 11 to 16 mph in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 32 mph. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy and cold, with a high near 7. Breezy, with an east wind 14 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.
Thank you @BlueBerry , that’s very kind of you. I hope it maintains it’s shape. Tonight I put on a edging strip on one side and around the little circle at the bottom. I’ll add one to the other side and that will give me some confidence going forward.
@Stan you were right to get that done. We have had multiple high wind days and I’ve gotten behind. I need to get my dormant oil and copper on right away.
@Stan I also skipped the apriums as they are partially bloomed…it was hard to get some dry weekends during this winter…is there any recommendation on those partially-bloomed trees?
Your bragging about how cold it is there but I would be willing to bet that even those temps are a lot warmer than usual. We are losing our winters down here so be thankful you still experience it.
You been in the Louisville area long? In 2021 it only got to 13 here.
Ditto 1999 or 2000. This year also is not unprecedented…one year back in the 1960’s I planted garden things in late February.
If there are no more freezes from today through May 1 then I’ll concede that is unprecidented. To be determined.
Has the storm hit elsewhere like it has here? It’s pretty nasty out right now - moments of total white out, visibility of 1/2 block at best. Pretty neat as long as you’re inside.
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