Tree Protection. Chewed Bark. Hardwood Cuttings.

I don't know what chewed these fig branches. They have been on the ground for a couple of weeks. I read that figs are deer resistant. I've also read that mice or voles can chew fig bark.

I don't know if wrapping the trunk is needed or helpful. I do know that if I don't, and the bark is chewed off, I will be angry at myself for not doing it. So I did.  Brunswick fig.

I also wrapped this ginkgo, 2 lindens, the mulberry, and two tart cherries. And 2 plums. The basis for wrapping, was it a tree that I've gone to some trouble to grow, would it take a long time to replace, and did I think animals might find the trunk tasty.

The bag contains hardwood cuttings from the yard in Vancouver. There is Lattarula fig (big cuttings), and most of the grape varieties. Also scion wood for pear. I read they can be stored buried in damp sawdust, damp peat moss, damp sphagnum, or in refrigerator. I don't have a big pile of sawdust or peat moss or sphagnum, and there isn't room in the fridge. The leaf pile should keep them moist, safe during freezing, and sheltered from sun.   I buried them about a foot deep in the leaf pile.  If they don't survive, that's OK.

I also did some shaping of one linden, aiming toward a central leader. There were 2 main leaders, neither vertical. I removed one, and tied the other as close to vertical as I could. It's supported  by a bamboo post. The prunings went into a raised bed, as effortless hardwood cuttings. Maybe they'll strike, or not. Interesting if they do, no loss if they don't.

Unknown Shrub / Viburnum tinus

It's been blooming for a month. Maybe more. Freeze and snow didn't phase it. I don't know what it is.

This shrub came with the house. I haven't figured out what it is. Maybe an evergreen cultivar of viburnum. Or not.

Update: My friend Joan identified this shrub for me, almost immediately. It's a definite match: Viburnum tinus.

Must be rugged and vigorous, given these pics, and the neglect it's doubtless had. Blooms Oct to June. Evergreen.

Fig Pruning. Lattarula.

Lattarula before pruning.  This was a challenge.  Growth this year was rampant, making thick tall canes, as tall as the house.  Lattarula has a great breba crop, one of the best for me.  I love this fig.   I wanted to keep enough 2012 growth for a good 2013 breba crop.  But also, prune back so it doesn't become too big.  I don't want to climb a ladder to harvest figs.  This photo is after taking lots of cuttings, so the tree was even more congested a week ago.

After.  I pruned about half of the growth.  There are about 10 branches pruned to stubs, which I want to make new canes at lower level, for fall crop and brebas for 2014.  The rest are left for brebas, which I can prune away after they bear in mid Summer.  That will make for a more compact tree.  I also kept some prunings to start a tree at the Battleground place.

Grape pruning.

Each year at New Year's I prune the grapes.  It's early enough that the vines don't bleed, which they do if it's Spring.  This is the "before" for the arbor.

After.  I pruned most back to 3 or 4 nodes of new growth.  Removed some redundant vine.  Took more off Canadice, which I don't like as much flavor-wise.  Left more of Venus and Interlaken, which I like more.

Price grape, over gate.  Before.  Some vines grew more than 10 feet, into the lilac and beyond.

This is my favorite grape, a blue grapey flavored seeded grape.  It does not bear heavily.  I pruned back to 2 or 3 or 4 nodes.  I saved cuttings of this and Interlaken and Venus for the Battleground place.

Testing Seeds. Progress Report. Day 3.

Not sure about these Chinese beans.  But it's just 2 days.  Some are swelling.  Maybe a sign of life.

The squash are sprouting.  Ditto for the French Breakfast radishes,  The carrots are not sprouting yet.  The Della Fave pole beans are swelling a bit.

The Cherry Belle radishes, and Taiwan Sugar peas are sprouting.  Also a couple of the Roma II beans.  Not the carrots, yet,.