Planning for a less energetic tomorrow.

I have much less energy than a year ago.  i don't know how far or fast I will decline.  But I want to continue gardening.  That means planning ahead.  What will I do?

- Get the tree planting done now.  It almost is done - a few minor additions, but the orchard is a complete as it needs to be.  Other trees are just icing on the cake.

- Keep the trees well watered this year.  Water deep and with decreasing frequency, for deep rooting.  Mulch with compost, to make the ground more spongy.  Cover that with straw mulch - cheap, biodegradable, keep the ground moist, keep the weeds down.

- Change the circles around trees, into contiguous rows of trees, for easier mowing.

- The raised beds are almost all done.  Three more.  It takes weeks to build one now, that I put together in a day before.  But once done, they are so much easier to manage, compared to in-ground garden rows.  No tilling.  Weeds easy to pull.  Few weeds - grass doesn't enter from the sides.  Just replenish the compost every year or two.  The higher level is much easier to plant, weed, and pull, compared to ground level.

- Continue to convert to dry tolerant plants and trees.  Watering doesn't just take water, it takes time and is tiring.

- I may need to install soaker hoses or other type of sprinkler in the raised beds, so I don't have to haul around a hose.  Not sure about that yet.

- The tree cages - keep out deer - only need to be built once.  A few more are needed, then they are done.  Mulch keeps weeds under control, nicely, in those cages.




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Fruit Tree Order for Spring 2014

From Raintree Nursery.  I've made a habit of ordering way ahead.  Not wanting many additions this time.  Each has a specific reason -


Jujube Sugar Cane.  According to the web page very sweet but very thorny.  Raintree states they send 3 to 5 foot trees.  The trees I One Green World sent last year were 1 foot trees - pretty lame.  They survived and grew, and are now whopping 18 inch to 2 foot trees.  Look out Sequoias, your record is about to be broken!  So I want to jump start a little and add a taller one.  Different variety for novelty sake.  It's not clear if they need pollenizers.  According to CFRG, jujubes don't require cross pollenation, but according to Raintree they do.  CFRG states:  "Small to medium fruit which can be round to elongated. Extremely sweet fruit but on a very spiny plant. The fruit is worth the spines!".  Maybe the spines will frustrate marauding deer, or at least annoy them.  Pic is from Raintree site at link above


Q-1-8 Peach.  I researched many websites for a late blooming, peach leaf curl resistant variety.  I'm not sure about the late-blooming aspect, but Q-1-8 is described by most as quite leaf curl resistant.  Since I have 2 yellow-flesh varieties, this white-flesh variety will be a novelty.  It takes a few years to start bearing,  and I want to see if I can get enough peaches for a pie, from any variety.  Pic is from Raintree site at link above.  Kind of a cute name for a peach.  Rolls off the tongue....  but if it bears OK, resists peach leaf curl, and tastes good, that's all I need.

PrairieFire Crabapple.  To feed honeybees and provide pollen for other apple varieties.  DEscribed by Raintree as "A disease resistant, upright crabapple to 20' with reddish bronze leaves, pink flowers, and bright red 1/2' fruit loved by birds.".   WSU Extension states "Very resistant to apple scab, cedar-apple rust, fireblight and mildew."  Pics are from WSU Extension.  This might be the one I saw at Home Depot on sale, but that was similar size and I like the idea of buying from Raintree.  Raintree states they sell 4 to 6 foot trees.  If it was 6 foot it would be awesome.    Many of my spring blooming trees have white flowers, so one with pink or red would be a nice addition.

Bearded Irises. Progress report.Iris bed #2

Bearded Iris bed #2

Bearded Iris "Alcazar" 1910

 I did some minor puttering in the bearded iris beds.  Bed #1, the first historic iris bed, is too cluttered.  As we move into fall, I want to remove some extras.  Buddleia grew like crazy.  Oregano is too big for the irises.  The iris seedlings need to move too.  Too crowded.  I need a place for them.

Bearded Iris bed #2, also heritage irises, with a couple of exceptions.  Marigolds and sweet alyssum grew larger than I expected, very nice but too much crowding.  Still it will be ok to wait for frost when these annuals die off.

I did add some "step-over" plants.  Hoping they stay small.  A Sempervivum, alpine geranium, and a couple of others. 

Bearded Iris "Owyhee Desert" 1997

Bearded Iris "Romeo" 1912

 The iris starts are sending out new sprouts, and the original leaves are growing larger.  They are settling in.

Alcazar was via Heritage Iris Preservation Society.  From the separate, historic iris blog - "Color effect light hortense violet, velvety pansy-violet bicolor viened on bronze haft; size large; form long; open, oblong ; flowering habit free ; tall bearded class ; height 32 inches ; branching wide at center or above ; A flower of extra substance ; firm texture ; slightly crêped surface ; good fragrance ; An outstanding specimen plant, with very large well balanced flowers and excellent foliage."  I like that description, "hortense violet".

I suspect "Romeo" is mislabeled.  The prior blossom did not look like the web identification for this variety.  It bloomed in the winter.  It is about to bloom again.  Why is this a fall blooming variety?  Strange.


"Los Angeles" is in a shadier spot.  Not good for new iris starts, but it is what is. 

I'm continuing to clean up bearded iris bed #3.  That is mostly new varieties, some were established clumps moved from the Vancouver yard.  Some exceptions.  A few unrelated plants need to be moved from that bed as well.

Bearded Iris :Los Angeles" 1927

To make a prairie....

Image via commons.wikimedia.org

“To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee,

One clover, and a bee,

And revery.

The revery alone will do,

If bees are few.” 

-Emily Dickinson

Brugmansia

 A few weeks back this brugmansia dropped its buds and some leaves.  I was having a difficult time keeping up with watering.  I repotted into a container about twice the volume.  Now it stays moist longer, and is blooming like crazy again.