Star Quilt Progress. 7.13.22

 So far I surprised myself with the first four star blocks.

As with two other quilts, these are made from fabric from second hand men's 100% cotton shirts.  Some features are fabric left over from previous quilts.  Those were fabrics I especially liked.  I have to be creative in their use because only small amounts remain.

These took longer because of the white backgrounds.  I have a crinkly white fabric that I used, to add texture.  However, it's so thin I was concerned the batting would show through.  So I used spray basting to bond them to a heavier white fabric.  The spray basting will wash away when the final quilt is laundered, leaving the two layers much softer but with the nice crinkly look on the surface.

Now comes a bit of a dilemma.   Each fabric is in a limited amount.  I have to vary it so I make the best use of each.  The shapes are irregular, so it's difficult for me to decide how far each piece will go.  I thought I might alternate these with the darker blue, with lighter blue stars.  Here is a comparison.  The light blue one isn't sewn together yet, so it is larger.

I don't think I like the lighter color for the star.  The other fabrics - the grey and the background - are in short supply, but I think I have enough of the dark blue for at least the next four (out of thirteen total) blocks, and who knows, maybe all thirteen.  The grew and white parts will have to be more diverse, which I think will add variety.

I will play with it and see what happens.

Apple Grafting Results So Far. 7.9.22

 This year I only did three grafts.  That was in March.  The scion was from Maine, varieties that are historic or disease resistant.

The first was the disease resistant variety "Freedom".  Freedom was released by the New York Ag Experiment Station in Geneva, in 1958.  It is multiple disease resistant.

Here is how the graft looks now.  It has healed nicely.  The leaves had an aphid infestation and are sad looking, but I think that is over.

Today I pruned a lot of new growth on the lower tree, including any new growth occurring below the graft.  I also pruned the graft to make it make branches for the espalier arms.

This was the graft when I did it.  I'm using Freedom for the top two tiers of a four-tier espalier.  The lower two are the red flesh RedLove Odysso. (TM)  It was a difficult graft.  The wood was very hard, my knife was dull, and I wasn't doing well at the time.  Still, apple trees are resilient, I had it wrapped tightly, and it took.

The second on was a graft of the ancient, historic variety "Blue Pearmain", on another red flesh espalier "RedLove Era" (TM).  I don't think Era is turning out that well, but the Blue Pearmain might give me something to look forward to.  Again, the intent is top two tiers will be "Blue Pearmain", bottom two will be the red flesh variety.

That graft was similar to the first, except I was able to do a Whip and Tongue graft this time, which I like better.  This one took too.  I also pruned this one to force branching and remove some competing growth from the understock.

The last one was the variety "Mutsu".  I had a rootstock that had survived a lot of neglect and mistreatment, and I used that.  The rootstock was the variety "Geneva 222", a highly dwarfing type.  So far, it's still in a plant container.  The scion was tiny and flimsy.  I was only able to match up the cambium on one side.

Here is the Mutsu now.  Only the side with matching cambium has healed so far.  But, if that side healed, it's promising that so will the other side later.  This tree will need a lot of TLC.  For one thing, it needs to go on the drip line, for consistent watering.

The bad side

The good side

A Zucchini and a Saffron Summer Squash. 7.9.22

 The first Costata romanesca Zucchini, and the first Saffron Summer Squash, but today.

Pawpaws, Persimmons, Plums, Peaches. 7.9.22

 Those little pawpaws continue to swell.

The persimmons are beginning to swell, too.

Lots of plums this year.

Genetic Dwarf Peach, Garden Gold

"Figcam". 7.9.22

 Not a live cam, just photo updates.

Desert King.

Lattarula.  Not only are the early summer ("Breba") figs continuing to grow, but buds are growing for the fall ("Main Crop") figs.  I counted about 50 figs on this tree.

Yes those sneaky, evil, mean, ravenous yellow jackets have been sending out scouts.   Back at the nest, the platoon is asking ("Where are Bob, and Steve, and Fernando?  They've been gone to two days").  Maybe I should put out more traps.  I don't like killing things, but yellow jackets are vicious and not only have stung me but also Rufus.  And they occupy and destroy every fig on the tree, if not trapped first.

Petite aubique.  Or as I call Monsieur Heartbreak" because he promises the most tasty, delicious figs, then they all too often ripen too late and become moldy during fall rains.  Will Monsieur Heartbreak break my heart again this year? 

Chestnut Trees Blooming. 7.9.22

 I planted these about six years ago.  From a distance, only the male flowers are visible.  They have a musty scent.

Here the female flowers are visible in closeup.

What's Blooming? 7.9.22

 Lots blooming now.

European Lindens.  I planted these in 2013.  Highly fragrant!    Honeybees love the flowers, but no honeybees around.  :-(

Buddleia.  Highly fragrant!

The first Gallardia.  I started these as seeds during the winter.

More Sweetpeas.  Highly fragrant!

More lavender!  The leaves are highly fragrant.  Im not certain about the flowers.

Four O'Clocks Beginning To Bloom. 7.8.22

 They don't look like much yet, but are covered with flower buds.  Not bad for seeds I started in early Spring.  There are red, pink, and yellow ones.  I think they will be covered with flowers in a couple of weeks.

First Potatoes. Envol, in Container Planter. 7.8.22

 These are the first potatoes of the year.  The variety is "Envol", a very early variety.   I grew these in the container planter that I built last winter.  The plant leaves were starting to dry out and turn yellow, so I don't think these were going to grow larger or more potatoes.  

I think this was not super productive - 8 pounds from two 25 gal containers - but not bad.  They were super easy to dig out, very clean, no shovel injuries to potatoes.  Overall, I'm happy with thus result.

Squashes Are Blooming! 7.4.22

 The Costata romanesca zucchini, and Saffron summer squash are blooming.  One of the zucchinis had male flowers, so I used those to pollinate all of the female flowers.

The Burgess Buttercup squashes have female but not male flowers.  They are not the same species as zucchinis, so I didn't try.

Transplanted Lavender, Thriving. 7.4.22

 During the winter, I transplanted about a dozen old lavender plants.  They were old plants, ten or fifteen years old but not thriving at all.  In their original locations, they were being out competed by grass and weeds.  Now they are in the meditation garden.

These may need a year or two, to become more bushy and really stand out.  Even so, they are covered with flowers.  It's a sensual pleasure puttering and weeding these plants.  Every brush against them brings out waves of lavender scent.

Similar in some ways to lavender, I also moved a half dozen rosemary plants.  Only two survived, and their growth so far is minimal.  I moved a dozen sage plants too.  They recovered, are putting on a lot of growth, but no blossoms yet.

Final Seedlings. 7.4.22

 These are the last of the seedlings now.

The "Black Eyed Susan Vine"  (Thunbergera).  These have not been thriving.  They originate in East Africa, and our climate may just be too chilly.  I potted them into larger containers and will keep them in  the sun.

The rest.  Basil, like Thunbergera, doesn't appreciate the coolness, so I started more.  Also some cucumbers, which thrive in summer heat but not chilly Spring.  Ning's Red Kuri squashes were trampled by house painters, so I started new ones for him.

There is also the Brugmansia which is not a  seedling but I've been treating it like one.  Lots of TLC, dilute fertilizer every day.  Most of the old yellowing leaves have dried out and fallen off.  The newest leaves are greener and larger.  Not as green as I thought, but still much better.

Summer Kitchen. 7.4.22

 "Summer Kitchen" might be an exaggeration.  It will mostly be a sheltered stove and a table.  The frame is up now.  The stove will be moved under the frame, when tile is installed and roof is done overhead.  The roof will be translucent or clear so it will be bright.  This is the East side of the house.  The tile will raise the stove slightly above the patio to keep the stove's feet dry.

Rufus is watching through the doggie door.

Milkweed and Honeybees. 7.4.22

 The milkweeds are blooming.  I grew these from seeds about ten years ago.  Honeybees love them, as much or more than any other flower.  Honeybees have been scarce this year - worrisome.  But if there are any around, this is the flower they will find.  These are a highly fragrant flower.

Years Later Here Are The Fig Trees That I Moved At Large Size. 7.3.22

 Here is the Brunswick fig tree that I moved from Vancouver to Battle Ground in late November, 2012.

On the pickup trick.  (I really can't believe I did that)

Ready to replant.  The roots were more shallow than expected.

Here it is today.  This tree settled in and established the first year.  Gradually, most of the original scaffold branches died.  Underground shoots grew quickly to replace them, creating a multi-trunk tree.  Originally, I grew this tree from a cutting, so I know that underground originating shoots are identical to the original tree.

Here is the second large tree that I moved.   This one was "Petite aubique" (supposedly).  I moved it in late  November, 2017.  Originally, I planted this tree in 2001.  I had bought it by mail order from a nursery that was located then in S. Carolina.  They marketed it under different names, originally Petite negri.  I later corresponded with fig enthusiasts who decided it was Petite aubique.  This tree is not vigorous, but over time can grow to a good size.  Here it was when I dug it up, Nov 2017.

 Again, it settled in during that winter and the following year, although new growth was slow during the first year.  This also is a non-grafted tree (almost all figs are not grafted), and habitually sends out new shoots from underground buds.  Gradually, most of the scaffold for this tree also died, and was replaced by new shoots.  I could have trained it again to a single trunk, but I'm fine with the multi-trunk method.  A clump of lemon balm came along with the tree, and is still growing around the trunk.

I usually don't water or fertilize my fig trees.   However, I wonder if I did, would shy or late performers produce more, or earlier, or larger fruit?  So this year, I'm planning to give each of the smaller varieties or slower / later / less productive ones, some general purpose fertilizer once monthly and a few buckets of water every week.

Here are fig buds forming on the Petite aubique fig tree now.

It's not the most clear photo.  I posted it because it shows a "little friend".