Planting a Crabapple Tree. "Prairie Fire."

I saw this tree in the sale section at Home Depot.  Not wanting to do the work to plant another tree right now, but it's a good kind of fatigue.  Given that the tree fruited this year, maybe it will have viable spurs to bloom next Spring.   Plus, apples are pretty rugged so it has a good chance to survive.  So I bought this tree.

Crabapple "Prairie Fire" before unpotting.

 I'm not crazy about buying tall trees at the nursery.  I think small trees have a better chance to establish.  However, there's the issue of browsing deer.  So I selected the tallest specimen.  Around 8 feet or 9 feet tall.  A bit lanky.  It will fill in.

Unpotted, hole prepared, added "Plant Success" inoculant.

 I expected this to be a ball-and-burlap tree with compost added to the container, and it was.  Not excessive root growth.

Added some "Plant Success" mycorrhizal inoculant.   This soil has not had chemical treatment for 2 years.  I don't know about prior to that.  Reasonable to try to add back some beneficial microbes. 

The lower branches were sharply bend downwards.  I suspect trauma in shipping and handling.  I removed the worst. left the rest.  Expect to prune branch tips when leaves have fallen.
I researched this variety online.  It is multi - disease resistant.   It has pink flowers in the Spring.  If the flowering time is right, it can serve as a pollen source for other apples.  As a type of apple, it will add to the bee forage.

This variety has small fruits that birds eat during the winter.  Another plus.

Planted, mulched, minor pruning.

Fall Blooming Bearded Iris

This was an interesting find. Last summer I moved some bearded irises from the Vancouver place to the Battleground place.  I haven't kept up with weeding or watering them.  Today I noted one is blooming.  The variety is "Liaison".  Behind it is Buddleia "Lilac Haze" and Sedum "Autumn Joy"

Bearded Iris "Liaison"

The leaves look a bit unhappy.  It's an unusual time to bloom.  We are at the start of rainy season.

Bearded Iris "Liaison"

Figs.

LSU "Tiger" Fig

 This is the first fig from the LSU "Tiger" fig that I started from cutting earlier this year.  There is a red tinge.  The fig was near ground level.  An animal had removed it from the tree and ate out the other side.  As a result of exposure, the inside was somewhat moldy and did not appear edible, so I did not taste it.

This is the first fig of the year from the Battleground place.  The situation for this tree - just a start - is so unnatural, I won't predict what that means for next year.  By "unnatural", I mean the tree was started from cutting in January, given TLC on the deck all summer long, and planted in the ground in late summer.  The big test now - will this Louisiana - bred fig survive a Pacific NW winter?

"Petite negri" Fig tree

 Petite negri fig tree.  from fig forum, properly named "Aubique petite".   Lots of ripening figs now.  Tree is about 13 years from a small twig-sized start.

"Hardy Chicago" fig tree.

Fig harvest today

 Hardy Chicago fig tree.  Fair production now.  I missed some, overripe.  About 10 years from a cutting start.

Also harvesting Lattarula figs.  Those are the sweetest of the bunch.  The fig harvest photo includes a few figs - I had a much larger bowl of figs not included.

Not pictured, yet, is a ripening fig on Carini.  Like the Tiger fig, also on a tree started from cutting this year, and at ground level.  I placed some plastic mesh around the fig last night.  Check today for whether the fig is still there and intact.

Bee forage

Bumblebee on Buddleia X "Peach Cobbler"

I don't see a lot of foraging by the honeybees.

Buddleia - bumblebees like them, and continue to forage.  But not honeybees.

Sedum Autumn Joy and similar - a fair amount of foraging.  I'm glad I moved these mature plants to the Battleground yard.

Sedum "Autumn Joy"

Sedum "Autumn Joy"

Lots of bees on these succulents.

Not much forage remaining on Oregano.  At this point, oregano is no longer a significant source.  Given how much it was foraged earlier, I want to add more, next year.

Anise hyssop is also done.  Coreopsis and Caryopteris are nearly done.

I can't imagine there is much more nectar and pollen remaining.  At this point, the honeybees will need to depend on what they have stored.  If that runs out, I might need to add some sugar water.

Harvest Early September

Harvest Last Weekend

Charlotte Peach with Yellow Jacket

Pepper barrel

Hawaiian Pineapple Tomato

Fresh Peaches

Today's Catch