Chicken Tractor

Chicken Tractor

Overwintered Deck Plants, in bloom

Brugmansia

 These were the deck plants that i let dry out in late fall, then stored in the garage.  In April, I got them out and watered. The brugmansia also needed a larger container.  Now all blooming nicely.

Agapanthus, Zantadeschia, Dianthus

Geraniums

Moving a mature grape vine. At least 6 months later.

Tiny buds

I think it was December when I moved this grapevine.   This is a green grape, seeded, bought at Vancouver Farmer's Market.  I don't know the variety. It was 11 years old.  It had grown up into a tree, maybe 20 feet tall. 

I dug it up and moved it to the Battleground place.  Pruned severely because of root loss.  No growth this spring.  Assumed it was dead.  The only reason I didn't cut it off or dig it up was lack of ambition.

Now the trunk has 2 growing buds.  Tiny.  Interesting.  It might survive after all.   If it does, then every plant, shrub, tree that I moved here, survived.

Fig Trees - started from cuttings this winter.

Atreano

 These are fig trees started from cuttings this winter.  These are among the fastest to grow.  I have some under 1 foot tall.   For the most part, all have been getting 1/4 teaspoon Miracle Grow for Tomatoes.  Not organic, I know.  A temporary measure to get them up and growing faster.  The idea is similar to fertigation.  Sort of.

Carini

 There are several Carini starts.  This is one of the smaller ones.  May be a bit stunted due to the figs already growing.

Another Carini

 Another Carini, also with some early fig formation.

Champagne

 Champagne fig.  This is the larger of two.  There are tiny figs forming in leaf axils.

 

North of house on hot day

 There are potential disadvantages to the fast growth.  They may not be hardy for winter.  They are also not durable for hot summer days in full sun.  So I moved them to the North side of the house.  They need daily water.

Lattarula

 I don't need another Lattarula but I have someone in mind who would like to have it.  Once we are past the hottest part of summer, I plan to give it away.

Smith

The Smith cuttings surprised me and took off like the others.  I thought they would be slower.

The other Smith

This Smith tree needs a larger container.  I'm concerned it will dry out if I don't water dailyh or twice daily.

Cherry Crisp

This is the recipe I used for Cherry Crisp using tart pie cherries from the North Star Cherry tree.

All along the plan was to make a cherry pie and be nostalgic about my late mom's cherry pie.  I'm too tired to make the pie.  Crisp is easier.  This was internet recipe.  I changed some ingredients.  Replaced shortening with butter.  Added vanilla.  I might have added almond flavoring but wanted to see how much the cherries tasted like cherries.

Cherry Filling
4 to 5 cups pitted sour cherries - I used 5 cups.  Cherry pitter worked great.
1 1/2 cups white sugar - seems like a lot, but that's what I did
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Topping
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter

Preheat oven to 375F.

Sprinkle vanilla extract over cherries and stir to mix.  Combine cherries, 1 1/2 cups white sugar, and 4 tbsp flour. Pour fruit filling into 9x13 inch baking dish.

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, oats, and brown sugar. Cut in butter and shortening until crumbly.  Except I softened the butter, and it was difficult to make it crumbly.  It was more on the chunky side.   Almost a cookie dough.

I did my best to crumble it with my fingers and distribute the crumbs uniformly over the cherries.

Bake in preheated oven for 45  minutes until topping is golden brown.

It's in the oven now.  I'll edit this post when it's out.  And say how it tastes.  I proud of this.  It's the first thing I've baked from this cherry tree, which I grew from a small sapling.  In terms of slow food, that's about as slow as it gets.