Which Apple Varieties Are Blooming Now? Early Bloom Season. 12 Apr 24.

 Apples require cross pollination.  Or the vast majority of them do.  Apple varieties need to bloom together, to cross pollinate.

Varieties in bloom now can pollinate each other.  The exception is that triploid varieties can receive pollen from the more usual diploids,  but triploid pollen is not viable.  So it usually takes two diploids, so they can pollinate each other as well as the triploid. 

The overwhelming majority of apples are diploid.  I mention it here because Gravenstein is triploid.

Blooming heavily now -

Gravenstein.

Redlove Calypso.

Redlove Era.

SummerRed

Zestar.  This is sort of a "Wow" right now.

Columnar Supposedly Tasty Red, but it isn't (Maybe Blushing Delight?)

Also North Pole.

Montmorency Cherry In Bloom. 12 Apr 24.

 This is a great cherry variety for pies.  Really delicious.  This tree has been in this location for 12 years.  I moved it here from the Vancouver house, where I had grown it a few more years.

So far, I haven't needed to prune it much.  The size is fairly compact.  At this height, it also doesn't get any deer protection.  I do hang holographic flash tape to reduce losses from birds.

My parents had a Montmorency cherry tree in their yard, in the 1960s.

Montmorency is a heirloom variety, originating in the Montmorency suburb of France.  Apparently it was developed there in the 1700s or before.

This information is from the Traverse Bay, Michigan cherry website.  

"Montmorency cherries are not just a treat for the taste buds but also offer several health advantages:

• Rich in Antioxidants: They're packed with anthocyanins, which combat oxidative stress.
• Anti-Inflammatory Properties: Consuming these cherries can help reduce inflammation, benefiting those with conditions like joint pain.
• Sleep Aid: They're a natural source of melatonin, which can aid in improving sleep quality.
• Muscle Recovery: Some studies suggest they can help reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery post-exercise.
• Heart Health: They can play a role in improving heart health by helping maintain a healthy cardiovascular system."

Chili Pepper Seedling Update. 12 Apr 24.

 I think the chili peppers look about the best they ever have, for this time of year.

I repotted the Anaheims and Fresnos into larger containers.

The plastic pots go through many re-uses.  At the end of seedling season, they get a thorough washing and are stored nested, so they don't add to any clutter.

Here are all of the chili pepper seedlings.

Unless the weather is bad, they spend all of their day outside in full sun.  They are fully hardened and ready to plant outdoors, once the nights seem reliably above 50 F.  Meanwhile, when dusk arrives, I roll them back indoors.  The get a couple of hours under LEDs in morning and evening as well.

Tomato Seedling Update. 12 Apr 24.

 I'm pretty happy with the tomato seedlings so far.  They are growing their true leaves, nice and dark green.  The original sort of leggy seedlings are looking just as good too.  When I repot them, the leggy part will bender ground to grow more roots anyway.  I think they will thicken up anyway.

Seedling Update. Eucalyptus, Corymbia, and Portulaca. 12 Apr 24.

 First the Eucalyptus cinerea  (silver dollar tree) and Corymbia (lemon bush "Eucalyptus").

The Eucalyptus cinerea is the more vigorous of the two.

I cut the tips from two of the E. cinerea, to make them grow bushier.  The second tip cutting was last week.   I may let one or two of the others grow as actual trees, to plant in the yard next year.

I also cut the tips of the two most vigorous Lemon Bush Eucalyptus.  They are branching and growing nicely.  (I should note, there is some limited leaf irregularity).  It's interesting, the ones in the six pack did so poorly, while the ones in their own containers are more vigorous.   If memory serves, the ones in the six pack were multiples in their original, smaller seed sprouting pack.  I teased the roots apart to repot into the larger cells.  Maybe they really can't handle that treatment.  They seem to be growing fresh new leaves now, so I continue to give them TLC.  In comparison, the silver dollar tree Eucalyptus haven't had any problems at all.

I alternate between the common and scientific names, in hopes that will help me remember them.

The Portulaca (Rose Moss) look less delicate now.   They are also spending their days outside.

Seedling Update. Dahlias and Four O'Clocks. 12 Apr 24.

 The Dahlias and Four O'Clocks look nice.  I will wait until nights seem reliably above 50 F, before planting permanently outside. 

Dwarf Dahlias

Four O'Clocks.

Preparing / Rehabilitating Overwintered Mandevillas For Spring. 12 Apr 24.

 I've never grown Mandevillas before, so this is a learning process.  I overwintered the larger one (3 or 4 years old) in a corner of the sunroom.  It was too big to have elsewhere, but was difficult to access, so basically was near-dormant to nesr-dead).  The other (1 year old) was smaller and hanging from the ceiling, but still didn't get much attention.

The one-year old mandevilla (red) .

After clean-up and pruning.

Before pruning.

Last summer I had this hanging.  I haven't decided about this year.  It is three plants in one container.  Once it's well hydrated, and I am up to it, I'll repot with some fresh soil, in a larger container.

Here is the older (pink) Mandevilla.  It's really scraggly and sad looking.

Before pruning.

After pruning.

It looks pretty sad, but like they said in Jurassic Park, "Where there's life, there's hope.".  Or I think they said that.

I'm aiming for a bushy look or tower shape.  If there is good growth from the lower stems, I may prune off some of the tallest.   Once the soil is well hydrated, I'll start a lower nitrogen fertilizer so I don't stimulate too much rank growth, but some new growth, and encourage forming strong stems and blooming.

Celosia and Basil Seeds Germinating. 11 Apr 24.

 Those Celosia and basil seeds have germinated.  They were on the seed warming mat.

Large Leaf Basil

Celosia "Cock's Comb Dwarf Mix"

Celosia "Rainbow Sherbet"

All of these seeds were old, ranging 2 to 4 years.   They germinated quickly anyway.

Pruning a Gravenstein Apple Tree. 11 Apr 24.

Continuing Spring pruning.   Last fall, I had the deer fencing removed from around the Gravenstein apple tree.  It's big enough now, I think I can keep branches above convenient, deer salad bar height.   It's a lot easier to maintain an unfenced tree, thin fruit, pick fruit, prune, and mow, if the deer cage is gone.

Here is the after photo.

The goals for fruit trees in deer country are the same as everywhere else, but also to keep branches out of convenient reach for deer browsing,  I say "convenient" because a motivated deer can stretch really high, or can pull down willow branches.  But I have not had a problem when I kept the branches and leaves up high.

I like to have open center, for air circulation and for sunshine throughout the tree.  I don't like branches that rub on each other, so one of those has to go.

Bearing branches should not be long and willowy.  Even half inch branch at 10 feet high can droop to a few feet from the ground.  The  you get this -

 I have been aiming for young  bearing branches about a foot or two, off the heftier scaffold branches,  This also prevents excessive weight of too many apples, from breaking the limbs.

This tree has a pollinating graft that blooms at the same time.  I used Airlie Red Flesh, which has pink, almost red flowers.

That compares to the pale, almost-white flowers of Gravenstein.

The label had fallen off.  By making the original choice of a color coded variety, when I grafted on the original pollinating scion, It helped a lot in determining that important branch to keep.  In this case, the branch was drooping.  Instead of cutting it off, I tied it vertically to create a taller scaffold branch.

I graft on pollinating varieties partly for the fun, and to try different varieties, but also because honeybees have become less common.  Tiny pollinating bees are all over here, but seem to stay mostly within a tree's branches, rather than flying tree to tree.  I think having a different variety within a tree, whose bloom time overlaps with the main variety, increases the chances of successful pollination. 

Aren't they beautiful?  And they smell like apple blossoms.

Also, if a branch looks good but needs to be lifted or shifted to fill in a dead space, I tie it with cotton clothesline rope.  It's strong, easy to tie good knots (unlike plastic string), biodegradable but lasts a few years outside.

I did cut a couple of scaffolding branches that were too high or too low, or crossing another.

I cut off any buds or twigs below about six feet high, so as not to get a deer started and wanting more.

Here is the before photo.

Power Secateurs For Pruning. 11 Apr 24.

 These helped a lot with today's pruning.

I think I got about three times as much done, as I would have otherwise.  Also, they cut through branches that would have been too difficult with my hand secateurs.  They extended my reach a bit, too.