Early Growth on New Apple Trees. 4.17.19

Early Growth on New "Urban Apple, Golden Treat".  4.17.19

 The new apple trees that I planted this winter are pushing out nice healthy looking leaf buds.   Interesting to see that the leaf buds on RedLove Era have a red coloration.

Early Growth on New "Redlove Era" Apple Tree.  4.17.19

Early Growth on New "Urban Apple, Tasty Red".  4.17.19

Fig Tree Brebas (early fig buds). 4.17.19

Brunswick Fig Brebas.  4.17.19

 Here are the brebas on most of my fig tree collection.  For some varieties, they will likely all fall off, forming new main crop figs to ripen later.

Of those that have brebas which almost always fall off - probably 95% to 100% fall off  - are Brunswick and Hardy Chicago.  On the other hand, King is an entirely breba variety, so almost all should ripen.  Lattarula does both. 
I usually get a few brebas on Carini and Petite negri but it depends on the year.  Celeste is too young, I have not had ripe figs at all from that 3 foot tall tree yet.

I'm not sure about LSU Tiger or Sicilian.  I need to pay more attention this year.

Petite Negri Fig Brebas.  4.17.19

Celeste Fig Brebas.  4.17.19

Hardy Chicago Fig Brebas.  4.17.19

Latarrula Fig Brebas.  4.17.19

Baby Fig Tree, Lampiera Preta.  4.17.19

Carnini Fig Brebas.  4.17.19

LSU Tiger Fig Brebas.  4.17.19

Petite Negri Fig Tree that I moved about December 2017.  4.17.19

Sicilian White Fig Brebas.  4.17.19

Bearded Irises. Update. 4.17.19

Early Bearded Iris Flower Buds.  4.17.19

Bearded Irises Almost Budding.  4.17.19

 Some of the bearded irises that I have been obsessing over are showing signs of flower buds.  A few clumps, in the woodlot border, have actual flower buds.   I counted 5 stems on one plant.  That might be a historic variety.  I also saw a couple of flower stems beginning to form on Alcazar, and some of the others.  One is a very large leaf variety, so I'm guessing it's more modern.  However, Helen Collingwood is also very large and vigorous.

I'm excited they will bloom and I can identify most of them once I see the flower.

Meanwhile, I dug out a few bearded iris plants from the fence row, where the gnarly rhizomes were thrown two years ago and some took root and grew.  There was also one in an area that has been converted back into lawn, and somehow survived, and one in deep shade under a spruce tree.  All are not in the "recovery bed" where they may need a year to come into bloom.   Tough plants, when they are neglected.

Bearded Iris Rescue Garden.  4.17.19

Asian and European Pears in Full Bloom. 4.17.19

Original, NOID Asian Pear in Bloom.  4.17.19

Orcas Pear in Full Bloom.  4.17.19

 Most of the Asian and European pear cultivars in my orchard are in full bloom.   In some cases, I don't know what they are.  The Asian Pear that came with the place is full of flowers.  So is Hamese, Mishirasu, Maxie, Orcas, Rescue.  I think Nijiseiki and Shinseiki are just beginning to bloom.  I also have some grafts of European pear, I think Bartlett and Anjou, that are not open yet.

Rescue Pear in Full Bloom. 4.17.19

Apple Bloom Time, Beginning. 4.17.19

Dolgo Crabapple Blossoms.  4.17.19

Gravenstein Apple Blossoms.  4.17.19

This year I am more carefully watching fruit tree blossom times.

Many of the apples have buds showing the first signs of petals.  The only apple cultivars that have a significant number of fully open flowers, now, are Gravenstein and Dolgo Crabapple.

The Dolgo branch is small, and with so much rain, I don't know if bees are pollinating yet.  So we will see if that is enough to give us some Gravenstein apples this year.

As for Dolgo, I don't know if it is self pollinating.  Gravenstein is triploid so unable to pollinate other cutivars.