Dominick Fig Cuttings. 1.11.14

Opening the Package - Will there be roots?

It's fun starting fig cuttings this time of year.   These are "Dominick's Fig", an Italian family - heritage fig via a generous member of the fig forum.

I could see there were leaves.  It's more important to grow roots at this stage.  If there are leaves and no roots, it's more challenging to keep them alive while awaiting roots.

Dominic Fig Cuttings

Dominick's Roots

Awesome!  Two have lots of roots.  The other two are a little further behind but still looking good.

I cleaned up some of last year's plant-starter juice cans.  Nice size, plant slides out easily for replanting, and theyn are free - recycled - reused.  The height / volume are good for transitioning fig cuttings from the paper towel to seed starting medium.

Gently remove paper towel.  If roots are stuck to paper towel, I just cut the paper towel and leave it on the root to disintegrate in the growth medium.  Doesn't hurt anything.

Then watered in, and return to the plant starting set-up among seedling and other fig cuttings in bags.

Today I also started Carini fig cuttings from another generous fig forum member, and Sicilian White, from another generous fig forum member.

Plant Nursery.

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Ning's Chickens. 1.7.14

Taking a start from a Lilac bush. Propagating a lilac bush by removing a sucker. 1.7.14

 This sprout was about one foot away from a purple flowered lilac bush.  It was an offshoot from that bush.  I sliced through the main stem with the shovel.  Then I dug it out.

Doesn't look too promising but I've seen less promising plants grow.  So maybe.

I pruned the cut, to make it smooth instead of ragged.  Pruned the top back a little.  It is dormant, so there are no leaves to transpire and wilt.  It will make new leaves at a size it can support with the roots.

Maybe the roots will extend a  little during the winter, using reserve stored carbohydrates from the stem.  That's why I didn't prune it back more.

I am determined not to add odds and ends into the vegetable bed.  So now I've planted the lilac start in the vegetable bed.  It is not in the way.  The vegetables get TLC, so the lilac will also get some TLC for the next year.

If it survives and grows, I can move it to a permanent location next year.

This is the general concept.  Traditional and super simple.

Find lilac bush with suckers.

Clear away weeds or stems that might be in the way.

Use shovel to slice through underground stem connecting sucker to parent bush.  I try to do this close to the parent bush.  That way I get more roots on the sucker.

Lilac Bush with suckers

Newly planted lilac suckers

 Dig around sucker and carefully dig it up.  It may not have a lot of roots.

Re-plant the sucker - now a new start of the lilac bush - in a sheltered location so it doesn't dry out this year.

This will work for other bushes that develop suckers - figs, forsythia, quince, etc.

I think the main thing is there are already a few roots.  A hardwood cutting would be almost the same but without roots.  It's more difficult to get roots growing from the stem, than to promote increase of root growth that has already begun.

The drawings are mine.  I am not an artist.

Midwinter Gardening. Moving a Plum Tree. 1.7.14

Methley  Plum.  Digging it up.

 This is a 4 year old Methley plum.  I bought it bare root via Raintree Nursery approx Feb 2010.   I think.  I pruned it short, anticipating Backyard Orchard Culture method with low branching, bush-like.  Last year I moved it to a different location in the yard.  I pruned back  little to encourage more low bushiness.  I had it next to Shiro plum and near Hollywood plum, to pollinate those.  They bore fine last year even though Methley did not bloom.  There is not much room in this location.  So I moved it to the Battleground home orchard, where there is more room and where, possibly, it will pollenize a mature unknown Japanese plum, Toka and Satsuma.  And vice versa.

I thought it would be difficult to dig.  It was easy.  The move last year resulted in compact root system, not wide ranging.  There was almost no root damage.  The roots were about one shovel blade deep.

This was my usual method.  Slice vertically in circle around tree.  Scoop out a moat around tree, digging outside that sliced circle.  Then slice under tree with shovel.  No prying until I've fully sliced under the tree.  It's easy this way, and not traumatic to the tree.

Transferred to a tarp.

As much as possible I handle via the root ball, not the trunk.  It helps to have a tarp to slide the root ball onto.  In this case, the tarp is a big dog food bag made from woven plastic.  Slick, durable, easy to use.   Perfect size for this project.

Those dog food bags have many uses in the garden.  I never throw them away.

Then pick up using the tarp, not pulling on the trunk.  Use wheelbarrow to move it to the truck.  Then transfer into truck bed.

It's an overcast, wet day.  Ground was soft.  Not raining hard.  Perfect for moving a tree.

Drove it to Battleground.  On left is Helleborus.

Now it's in the truck at Battleground.  I also dug up a Hellebore that was in a hidden location, and moved it to Battleground.  I didn't plant it.  Too tired after planting the tree.















Almost in place.  Hole is dug.  I had a small jujube tree in this location.  It's now moved to the bee garden near the other jujube.  Those have been disappointing so far.  Not much growth, still tiny.  This is a good spot, close to the other plum trees.  Before planting, I mixed a cup of lime with the back fill soil.  I also added mycorrhizal inoculant.  I don't think I will buy more of that.  Probably not needed.  But I have some left over so might as well use it.

Covered with bird netting to deter deer.

Planted.  Watered in with 2 buckets of water, to settle the soil.   May not be needed.  Started to rain.

I don't have fencing to protect from deer, so I covered with bird netting.  I sunk the posts into place a few weeks ago, anticipating this move.

Forgot to wrap the trunk to protect from chewing rodents.  Other plum tree is not chewed, so it should be OK for the next day.  I hope.

Winter Images. 1.5.14

Beehive and Bird Feeders

Fig Trees Frosty Morning

All of the raised beds are built, filled, amended, weeded, and have a layer of compost.

Charlie needs the warm blanket, because arthritis.  Homework for me.  Baigou likes the fire.