When I am an old man...

When I am an old man...
I will be surprised I made it that far.  If I do.
It's not that far away.
There's a good chance, I won't.
I will consider it funny to have aches and pains.
I already do.
I will not whine about being old.
Or apologize for aging.
I will consider it honorable and amazing.
I will laugh at myself for being funny looking, and bald, and having ears that stick out.
I already do.
I will be proud of my past.
I did a lot, against great odds.
And against fierce opposition.
I will be skinny and awkward, like when I was a teenager.
Only with more wrinkles.
I will smile a lot.
Or not.
I won't say much.
When I do speak, I will say thoughtful words.
I will bake sourdough bread.
And home made pies.
And make cornbread, and tamales.

I will putter in the garden among the bees and hens.
I already do.
And grow pole beans and zucchinis.
And grapes, and figs, and peaches.
From my beehives, I will give packages of fresh honey, to nice people.

My curses will be colorful and complex.
And used sparingly.
And aimed at the self-righteous self-important, and smug.
And greedy.
I will learn Spanish.
I will not consider it an insult to say "old".
Don't whisper "old", or use euphemisms.
Dammit.
I will consider "old" an honorific, respectful, and esteemed.
I will stand proud and crooked.
Like a beautiful, ancient, wizened bristlecone pine.
I will growl like an old lion.
I will tell people what I think.
If I like them.
If I don't, they aren't worth my effort.
My favorite shirt will be an old flannel shirt, from Goodwill or a yard sale.
I will wear it everywhere.
My favorite hat will be a cap I already wear.
It will be frayed and stained.
I will wear it everywhere.
My favorite trousers will be an old pair of khakis with side pockets for pruning shears and a pocket knife.
I will wear them everywhere.
I will grow the best tomatoes in the neighborhood.
I will tell young people, stories they didn't know.
About wars they never heard of.
And great minds no one told them about.
I might make them up.
Or not.
No one could make up a past, as interesting, as the real past.
I will quote Robert Green Ingersoll.
And Samuel Clemens.
My loyal dog will always be by my side.
He will roll in the grass and be covered in dust.

Nagami Kumquat

Kumquot Illustration 1906

 Kumquots are citrus-like small fruits.  They may be classified as citrus or as Fortunella margarita. 

Via Monrovia, Kumquots are native to China.  Small tree, fruit with thin sweet rind and sour juicy flesh. 

Kumquat flowers

Last year, I bought a 1 foot tall Nagami kumquot and kept it on the deck.  If I remember correctly it did have some fruit at the time.  I don't know why I didn't taste them.  It overwintered OK indoors.  Now it's on the deck at the Battleground place.  It did not look enthusiastic this Spring.  About 2 weeks ago I repotted it into a larger, wooden container, watered, and am feeding with a diluted acid-loving plant fertilizer.  1/4 teaspoon per gallon, same as for Meyer Lemon.

Via Wikipedia, Kumquats are Citrus japopica "margarita": or Fortunella japonica.  They are more cold tolerant than most citrus, survive down to 18F. 

The flowers are small and fragrant, similar to other citrus.  The trees bloom in late Spring and the fruit matures in early fall. 

Kumquat at Corfu

From the Purdue horticulture website, Kumquats were mentioned in Chinese literature in 1178 AD and in Western literature in 1646.  Nagami was introduced to London in 1846. 

For growth in containers, Kumquats need to be on dwarfing rootstock (trifoliate orange, Poncirus trifoliata, flying dragon), not rootbound, and have regular watering and feeding.  I did let mine dry out rather badly last winter, and it survived.

Via gardening.ktsa.com,  Kumquats are later blooming than other citrus.  The fruit is aromatic and spicy.  The fruit matures in November.

From greenzonelife.com, kumquats grow poorly on their own roots.  Kumquat dormancy is profound, and they break dormancy later than other citrus. 

All photos here are cropped from photos on commons.wikimedia.org.

Moving a Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple' Smoke tree - 8 months later

Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple' Oct 2012

Last fall I moved this Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple' Smoke tree from the place in Vancouver to the place in Battleground.  The tree/shrub was about 8 feet tall.  I pruned it to about 5 feet tall.  It was in a compost-rich bed immediately North of the house, so little sunlight.

In the new location, the tree is in much brighter, full sun for much of the day.  The soil is heavier, and has not been given as much compost.  I did give it a compost mulch.  New branches grew from the tips of the pruned branches, and the tree bloomed this spring.  Growth is less, internode space less, leaves smaller and darker burgundy, than before.  It looks settled in the new location.

It will need occasional water during the dry season this year.   I'm happy with this outcome.

Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple' June 2013

Citrus. Zone Inappropriate. Not letting that stop me.

Meyer Lemon

Kumquat

I rescued the Meyer Lemon from my own neglect last year.  I had let it frost the winter before, which killed most of it.  Then last winter I let it dryout, to the point of crispy leaves, a few times.  It's recovered nicely.  Blooming.  One lemon is set, maybe more to come.  I should take better care of it.  They are delicious.  The blossoms smell very sweet.  I can smell them 10 feet away.

There have not been fruit on this Kumquat. After repotting I found the label - Nagami Kumquot.   Repotted, giving some blueberry mineral based fertilizer, same as the other citrus.  Maybe this year it will put on some good growth for flowers and fruit next year.  I bought the kumquat last year at Home Depot.  If I remember correctly, it did have fruit at the time.

The remaining citrus bush came from seeds Ning planted 15 years ago in another plant, in Chicago.  We brought it with us to Vancouver.  I don't remember what it is.  Probably lemon or grapefruit.  It had the same neglect as the Meyer lemon, dropped leaves after they were crispified.  I repotted it, giving some TLC.  It is recovering nicely.  I don't expect it to bloom or bear fruit, but I keep thinking that would be interesting.

These trees get more sunlight at the Battleground place.  So maybe they will do better.  I think the wooden containers will do a better job of insulating the roots, compared to plastic containers.

Seedling Grown Citrus

Home Orchard

Vancouver Brunswick fig before moving 12/12

Vancouver Brunswick fig 6/13

Illinois Everbearing Mulberry

Update on this "Vancouver Brunswick" fig tree that I moved last December.  I thought I might have killed it with the pruning and digging and moving.  Then when it did start to grow, the new growth was killed by frost.

Now it's making a good comeback.  At the Battleground site, this tree has more coarse, darker green, stiffer leaves.  I take that as due to brighter sun and differences in climate.  Maybe the cooler nights, or a difference in fertility.

This tree may not have figs this year.  I don't mind, and prefer that it use it's photosynthetic energy to establish more extensive roots for next year.

From this and the other tree-moving results, I think I can say, now, I know how to transplant trees to a new location.

The Illinois Everbearing mulberry is almost ready for a first crop at Battleground.  Many of the mulberries are changing from green to greenish-red.  Again, as for the fig tree, the leaves are darker and more coarse.  I take that as a good sign. The loss of growth from late frost proved to be minimal.  The tree appears well adapted and established in the new site.  Compared to last year in the Vancouver back yard, there are many times more mulberries.   I forgot to bring bird netting this weekend.  Might regret that.  Would like a taste.

The NC-1 pawpaw is still at it's beginning.  I expect this year the pawpaws will be establishing their roots, more than growing tops.  The other pawpaws are even smaller.  Last year's concern was, did I  kill them by planting here in the Summer.  Pawpaws are reported as needing shade in their first year.  They survived, and are growing, so I'm happy with that.

NC-1 Pawpaw

Mystery Fruit Tree

Sal's Fig

Apple Golden Sentinel

The "mystery fruit tree" was here when we bought the Battleground place.  Initially, I thought apricot.  Then Asian plum.  Now I'm thinking apricot again.  Last year it was defoliated by deer.  I sprayed with repellent, mulched, provided compost.  This year it's almost doubled in size.  Maybe next year it will bloom, and maybe bear fruit, so I will know what it is.

Like the other fruits, the Sal's fig tree has recovered nicely from the last frost leaf-kill.  There are some incipient figs.  Maybe I'll get to eat some this fall.

The Golden Sentinel apple sports one apple.  The tree is only knee high.  I should remove the apple, but I want a taste this fall.  This tree may need to move this fall.  Or not.