Fig Time!

The figs are ripening like gangbusters. Even thought the first tree to provide a ripe fig was Lattarula, most of those are still green and firm. These are Desert King (also called King) and Petite Negri. The King figs are juicier and sweeter, but the PN figs have a "richer" flavor. The others are well behind. The advantage of keeping the small, so I can have more varieties, is a much longer period of ripening, as well as some do well some years, and others do well other years. And each has its own flavor. Cell phone is there to show size.

King. This tree is only 4 or 5 years old. Some of the new branches grew 12 feet, as thick as my thumb. Amazing year.

Iris Arrival and Planting

These are the irises from C and T Iris Patch. They arrived nicely packaged, nice fresh rhizomes and leaves. They appear to have been just recently dug and processed, nice. Well packed in excelsior. Two were labeled differently from the order - I emailed the seller and they responded almost immediately, this was a labeling error, that the irises as listed on the invoice were correct. Great service!

I really appreiate how carefully these were packed. The rhizomes tended to be a bit smaller than those from Scheiner's, but I can't complain since the price was much lower. (How does Schreiner's get the so big? Buch bigger than my established iris rhizomes). Also, they were much better than what I've bought in previous years locally, from big box stores, and they are much more fresh, there is more time for them to establish, and I get to support what appears to be a family business.  They may well bloom next Spring - that would be nice.

Since I've been so big on container planting, I opted to plant a few in this container - a wooden half-barrel-style container that I harvested garlic from last month. I plan to use fresh soil for next year's garlic, and only grow one container - more in raised beds at the country plane - so I had this one to spare. I planted them so they would grow from center to outward edge. They will need replanting in one to two years. These are the yellows - Los Coyotes, Love the Sun, Sun Catcher, and a rhizome from my patch of Sunny Delight, which I want to renovate or remove and plant the irises elsewhere since it's overgrown with grass.

These went into a planter box. They will need transfer to ground or elsewhere in one to two years.  This is a chance to get a head start.   I didn't have a good place prepared in the ground yet. I can move them onto the deck when blooming, then back to the yard when done. I pointed them as I did, with growth patterns in mind. The cut portion of the rhizome is near one edge, giving lots of room for the other end to grow. These Diety, Whole Cloth (heritage variety), Romeo (heritage variety), and Pink Millennium.

Some more new Iris varieties

These are via C&T Iris Patch, and are not yet shipped.  Couldn't resist.  The prices are very good, but I have not seen what the shipped rhizomes look like yet.  I'm hoping that, by growing them in Colorado, these will be durable varieties.  Also, I will make a bed for them at the Battleground place.  I'm thinking of the space between trees in the mini-Orchard.  It will be quite a few years before the fruit trees are big enough that too much shade will be an issue. Despite wanting to increase heritage varieties, most are fairly recent. Some are antiques. The photos are from the catalog - I hope that's OK since I linked to it.

Romeo. French firm Millet et Fils, from 1912

Diety. Monty Byers, 1988

Leprechaun's Delight. Developed by Weiler, 1986. Miniature Iris.

Los Coyotes. Developed by Burseen, 1992

Northwest Progress, Schreiner's 1997.

Fire on Ice, Weiler, 1990.

Pink Millenium, Schick, 1999.

Suncatcher. Ensminger, 1992.

Sweet Reflection. Maryott's, 1991

Whole Cloth. Cook, 1958 While at Portland Nursery, I saw this potted iris on the 50% off table, so bought it as well.

Iris is "Cherry Garden", photo is via "hort.net Cherry Garden was developed by Jones in 1966, and is a miniature."

Bakyard Orchard Walkabout

Midsummer, the yard and backyard orchard is jungle-like in greenery.

On the left Illinois Everbearing mulberry. This is year #3. Not many mulberries yet, but the ones I get are incredibly good.

Container gardens, tomatoes, beans, onions, peppers.

Left to right, pole beans, King fig, Sal's fig (in white pot), Bonanza miniature peach (2 peaches this year - leaf curl disease again), and some branches of Lattarua fig.  The Sal's will move to the Battleground place soon.

The purple leaf tree is Hollywood plum.  The plums are still firm but getting closer.  On the far left, one of the ginkgos I grew from a seed, now about 10 feet tall.  Half as tall as the one the same age, in the back yard.  The difference is likely the benefit of watering, improved soil, lots of dog "product" over 10 years in the back yard.  The mulch is made from prunings I took from the cherry trees.

The grass is brown for the summer.  It will grow back.  Apple on the right is Jonagold.

Charlie standing by Liberty Apple.

The yellow fruits are Shiro plum. We've eaten a few. This week they should be in full juiciness and sweetness.

Today I noticed the summer figs starting to soften. Maybe a week away? This is variety "Petite negri", red inside, blue-black outside. My favorite.

Scene of the Crime

Murder most fowl in the hen house. I've discovered that instead of the usual 3 hens, we now have 2 hens and a pile of feathers. No calls yet from CSI-Vancouver.

There's not even a corpse to draw a chalk outline around. I suspect raccoons. Possum or rat wouldn't carry the body away. I think. The survivors are traumatized. One has witnessed a similar crime before. If only she could talk.