Rose and Blackberry Hardwood Cuttings. 20 Dec 2023.

 I stuck cuttings for some roses and blackberries into the soil in  two of the planters.

I cut pieces about the length of a pencil*, and slightly smaller diameter.  Trimmed off lower leaves (if any).  Stuck them 2/3 to 3/4 of their length, into the soil.  Covered the soil with degraded tree leaves from last year, to reduce weed germination.

I didn't use rooting hormone.  It usually isn't needed for this method of a lot of hardwood cuttings including most roses and blackberries.  It's OK if they don't grow.   I think most of them will grow just fine.

One rose is a climbing type.   The other is a No-ID antique type.  They are nice unlabeled varieties.

*For younger readers, a pencil was a device made of wood wrapped around a graphite core.  It was the size and shape of an i-pad stylus.  The user scratched it onto paper to write, which is sort of like typing but without a keypad.  Crazy!

Daffodills Emerging. 20 Dec 2023.

 The first of the daffodils have emerged.  

Only a few so far.  It seems early.  Daffodils are tough.  They can handle freezing weather.

Garlic Emerging. 20 Dec 2023.

 Almost of the garlic has emerged.

This is the German garlic.

This bed is Lorz (in front) and Music (in back).

There has been some slug predation of some, so I scattered more slug bait. 

Last year I grew it the same way.  They grew fantastically well.  I will try not to be too concerned about slugs and freezes.

Now and then, I move some leaves so the garlic plants aren't buried.  I think it's birds who move it back.  It would be nice if the birds ate the slugs.

Semidwarf Orchard Re-Do and Cleanup. 20 Dec 2023

This was last week.  I removed all of the deer fencing around the semi-dwarf apple trees, and made big headway on pruning them.

Three views.

I've been trying to get a few of these trained to the Goldilocks zone of bearing branches too high for deer comfort but low enough for me to maintain - thin, bag, prune.  This is about as good as I can do.  Last year I did that with the pears, which worked out *almost* just right. All still need more pruning and training this winter, but this was a BIG step in progress.

The Liberty and Jonagold trees are about how I wanted them.  The Akane needs more training, but is close.  Ditto for the Winecrisp.  I left NorthPole as a tuft on top, to pollinate the two triploid trees.

The grass is uneven - wait until more needs mowing, then do this as well.  No use wasting gasoline just for this area.

With the deer fencing removed, now it can all be mowed with the riding mower.  Much faster and easier.  I'll use grass and clover as ground cover, no more thistles and blackberries to contend with.  

Winter Garden Cleanup in Minitree "Orchard". 20 Dec 2023.

 I've been cleaning up the sides, under the espalier trees, and the middle, under the mini-fruit trees.  There has been some encroachment by aggressive weed grasses and this is the time to fix that.

Mostly I've been laying flat cardboard from boxes in top and covering that with a thick layer of tree leaves.  The cardboard will self-compost in a year, and the leaves will last about that long too.  Then tney enrich the soil.

The black containers will be roses.  The one on the right is the David Austin rose, Vanessa Bell, with  ground cover of trailing sedum and muscari.   The other isn't planted yet.  I'm mulching the main pathways with arborist chips, which will take my traffic better than the leaves.

About 2/3 of the winter work is completed now.