Tree Update. 5.12.17

Greenspire Linden, 5 years.  5.21.17

Above Greenspire Linden when planted on 9.8.2012

Redmond American Linden.  Planted Feb 23, 2013.  Now 5.21.17 

These are trees that I planted a few years ago.  I always wonder if I will live long enough to see nice trees, from the trees that I plant.  However, with some good fortune, and care, and careful choosing of the specimen and variety, a few years can make a dramatic difference.  I found photos from when I planted these trees, and linked to them.  They are becoming nice specimens now.

It's interesting that the tiny maple seedling has outpaced a 12 foot tall maple that we planted at about the same time.  Moving large trees, they are really set back for a few years.

Unidentified Seedling Maple.  5 years.  5.21.17

The dawn redwood is from last October.  It doesn't show up well in photos yet, so I took a photo of the foliage.

Dawn Redwood Foliage.  Planted Oct 2017, bare root.  5.21.17

Above Redmond Linden, the spring after planted, as of May 7, 2013

Above maple when transplanted, 10.7.2012, a volunteer seedling. 

Puttering. 5.25.14

Ning's wildflower meadow.  5.25.14

Redmond Linden growth.  5.25.14

 Puttering.

The first of Ning's wildflower meadow gardens is blooming with the first of its flowers.  Pretty nice.  There are a few bees - bumblebees and honeybees - harvesting nectar.

Redmond American Linden is growing nicely.  I gave it some organic nitrogen this winter.  I tried not to overdo it.  There are flower buds on this, but not on the Greenspire European Lindens, even though they are much bigger.  The Redmond Linden has much bigger leaves, compared to the Greenspire Lindens.  The flowers, for honey, were why I planted these.

Deer have not eaten any of the lindens.  I have protected the bark from rabbits and gnawing rodents, using hardware cloth.

Redmond Linden.  5.25.14

Sourwood new growth.  5.25.14

Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) has taken off and growing. I wondered.  The lower branches died during the hard freeze.  During Spring rainy season, the new growth developed what looks like the fireblight that appears on pears.  Now it's coming out of it and growing nicely.  Sourwood is not native here, and there aren't a lot of them.  So it's an experiment.

Tamara rose, grown from cutting.  Moved to Battleground in 2012.  Eaten by deer, and now surrounded by some sort of yellow flowering weed.  It's actually doing well.

Most of the top-killed fig trees are coming up from the roots.  I'm debating whether to give them some organic nitrogen.  I don't want them to grow to vigorously, and be winter killed next year.  I would like some decent growth.

I planted 2 new palms.  The first, Trachycarpus fortunei (Windmill palm), is a species I've had in my front yard in Vancouver for 15 years.  It's pretty hardy.  The label states hardy to 20 to 10F.  Last winter the tree in my yard survived 8F.    The second, Chamaerops humilis (European fan palm), is labeled as hardy to 6 degrees.  "Extremely slow grower".  This palm is more a bush, than a tree, with clusters of palms.  I read deer and rabbits don't eat them.  Battleground is a bit less gentle climate, compared to Vancouver.  If they don't survive, that's OK.  If they do survive, that's even better.  They will also provide something green to look at when the grass turns brown, and in the winter.

Sourwood new growth and some leaf damage.  5.25.14

I planted the Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash, and Scallop Squash, seedlings that I grew from seeds a couple of weeks ago.  There are some additional seedlings still to plant.

I mulched around the new apple trees, using newspaper and food package cardboard as the bottom layer - to kill grass - then covering with grass mowings deep enough that you can't see the bottom layer.  I cut fencing to complete the deer cages, but it started raining so I did not fasten in place. 

Smith fig regenerating from roots.  5.25.15

Trachycarpus fortunei planted 5.25.14 

Chamaerops humilis planted 5.25.14

Tamara rose amid irises and weeds

Sunroom nearing completion.  5.25.14

Puttering. 4.20.14

Redmond Linden Sapling.  2nd Spring.  

Amanagawa Cherry.  2nd. Spring.

Here is the rest of the weekend.

The Redmond Linden I planted late fall / early winter 2012 has lush rapid growth.  So far deer have not munched on it.  So far.  I can't tell yet if it will have flowers this year.

The Redmond is at least a week, maybe 2, ahead of the Greenspire lindens.

Amanagawa cherry, which wound up in the chicken yard, is blooming nicely.  This is its 2nd year in ground here.  The chickens like to dig under it.  The roots must be deep enough that it's not a problem.

Prairie Fire Crabapple.  Blooming nicely.  I think it will be in peak bloom on wed when the honeybees arrive.  Meanwhile I used paintbrush to transfer pollen from Prairie Fire to the fruiting apples.  This is the 1st Spring, I planted it last fall.

Canary Weigela.  I planted this last summer.  Deer or rabbits munched on it.  It made a nice comeback.

The lilac grafts are difficult to photograph under the larger bush.  Some seem to have taken and are pushing growth.  Not as fast as the parent bush.  Which I guess is expected.  As long as they grow, it's a success.  This one I accidentally stepped on while doing chores and managed to bury it.  Then discovered it later.  It looks broken, but OK.

Peppers are ahead of expectation.  The poly tunnel is the way to go.   I uncovered them today so they get some air.  The Red Portugal has peppers.  Those seeds were planted late December and raised under lights.  The others were started later.  I watered them today and re-covered.  Soon they can stay outside.

The tunnel is not so good for garlic chives.  The tips of the leaves are burned.

Prairie Fire Crabapple.  1st Spring.

Canary Weigela.  1st Spring.  2.20.14

Lilac Graft at 5 weeks.

Pepper Red Portugal in Poly Tunnel.

Peppers in Poly Tunnel.

Trees. Progress Report.

Laburnum. The flower clusters may not be as long as in an established tree. Still beautiful. Redmond linden. Also growing nicely. Also no sign of flowers. The leaves are lighter green, and larger, compared with Greenspire. Greenspire linden. All are growing nicely. No sign yet of flower buds. Maybe none the first year. I think all of the trees planted last summer and fall will need water approximately weekly this summer. They are mulched as well.

Hardwood Cuttings from Trees. Progress Report.

I'm starting to think this propagation method is very good. Not just for figs. Fig cuttings root easily by almost any method. These were prunings I had lying around this winter. I did what I've been doing to jump start fig cuttings. Use cuttings about 6-8 inches long. As thick as practical - pencil thickness seems good.  Thinner or thicker seems to work. Make incision through bark and cambium layer using sharp pocket or kitchen knife. Dip in rooting hormone dip-and-grow at 1:10 dilution 1 to 2 minutes. Wrap in moist paper towel. Place into plastic bag and close. Keep in warm place.

These cuttings are from ornamental plum.  They have calloused well.  There is some top growth.  Not sure if roots are developing yet.  I think I see root initials.  So these are still in the "maybe" category as to whether they will develop into little trees.



Laburnum (golden chain tree) cuttings. These are also a few weeks old. Same method. The top cutting is a "mallet" cutting. It is a small branch. The base is trimmed with some remaining stem from the 2-year growth, trimmed.  The bottom cutting is similar, pruned just below the junction with the previous years' growth.  The middle cutting is just new wood.  All have calloused and are forming roots.  Some previous years' growth seems to work best.  Small sample size of course.  With these, some previous years' cambium seems to help.

Redmond American Linden. These have some callous. They leaked a jelly-like sap for a while. Not much. The root initials look promising.  They are also in the "maybe" category, as to whether I'll get trees from them.  If the tops grow too fast, they might overwhelm the almost embryonic roots.