First Irises. 4.16.14

Miniature iris Cherry Garden

Miniature iris Leprechaun's Delight

The first bearded iris are blooming.  Miniatures bloom weeks before most of the tall bearded.  Even though tiny, they are nice to look at.

Apple blossoms. 4.16.14

At Vancouver, North Pole and Liberty are in beautiful full bloom.

Apple "Scarlet Sentinel"

Crabapple "Prairie Fire"

Apple "Karmijn de Sonneville"

At battleground, there are the first blossoms open today for Golden Sentinel, Scarlet Sentinel, Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Karmijn de Sonneville, and the Prairie Fire Crabapple.  So all of the diploids should be able to pollinate all of the others of these varieties.   That just leaves the grafts and newly planted trees.

The Jonared I planted last month is starting to leaf out.  The triple graft I planted in jan is leafing out too.

Honeycrisp with 1st growth of Liberty graft

The new grafts are slower to leaf out.  They need to establish full connection into the stock vascular supply.

Seed Starting. 4.16.14

Okra.  all of the seeds have germinated.  The first were Burgundy.  They germinated in one day.  North + South hybrid were 2nd, even though the seeds were about 5 years old.  Every container now has germinated okra seedlings.

Four O'Clocks.  All but one of the containers have seedlings.  I think the germination rate was around 30%.  Some have 2 sets of true leaves, some are at cotyledon stage.  If more than one germinate per container I separate them.  They seem fairly durable for seedlings.  Acclimating the larger ones to outdoors, north side of house out of full sun, during the day.

Tomatoes.  The rootstock seedlings have yet to germinate.  Those are one year old.  The Lemon Boy container has one seedling.  Age of seeds - maybe 6 years?  Guessing.

I'm becoming more conservative with tomato varieties.  Thinking mainly grow the proven ones. Today I started  Lemon Boy, Better Boy, and Supersweet 100 will be this year's mainstays.  If I can find seeds or plants, Sungold.  Then a plant or two to experiment with, Cherokee Black - I always try, they are good, but now I'm back to liking the big red ones better.  Also, Italian Heirloom, Mexican Midget, and a few others but mostly the mainstays.  Tomato seeds are in 4 inch pots on the heating mat.

Peppers.  Winding down from the "starting" phase.  I putted up some plants into larger containers.  Maybe keep them containerized and keep one or two in containers I can keep in the sunroom next winter.  Setting larger ones outside as for the four o'clocks to acclimate.

Seedlings and Progress Report. 4.12.14

Culinary Ginger Plant 4.12.14

 The ginger is growing rapidly.  Not enough room in the light stand.  Moved to south window.

Fig plants from south window are transitioning to outside.

Seedlings went into ground -
Phacelia, oregano, snowpeas, bunching onions.  The Phacelia was at cotyledon stage so delicate.  I was careful.

Will leave kitchen garden open starting tomorrow but with screening for rabbits and deer.

Two more buddlea starts went into the ground.

Harvested a row of radishes and planted 2 new rows of radish seeds.

Played the bee with Asian pears, Tart and Sweet Cherries.

Montmorency and North Star cherries about in full bloom.  Almaden Duke and the two sweet cherries are almost done.

Seedlings 4.12.14

Buds are opening. 4.11.14

Brunswick Fig Bud with Brebas

My Dad's Gingko tree at Battleground

"Sunflower" Pawpaw buds

Nice to see more buds opening


Of the figs atr Battleground, the established Brunswick and Sal's fig trees are alive.  I don't know yet about any of the others I planted last year.

If I remember correctly about last year, the Brunswick fig tree too a long time to develop green buds.  That was the first Spring after I moved it here.  Maybe the same will be true for the others.

The Gingko biloba tree I moved here summer 2012 is budding out nicely.  This tree is about 15 years from seed that my dad collected in Quincy IL.  This was the smallest of the 3 trees, the only one small enough for me to move when I did.

Two of the pawpaws are making flower buds.  Sunflower is ahead of NC-1.  If the timing works out, I will pollinate by hand.  Pawpaw flowers are self-infertile.  The stigma (female part) is receptive before the anthers (male part) produce viable pollen.  When the pollen is produces, the stigma is no longer receptive.  In addition, even when flowers open at different times on the same tree, most varieties are self-infertile.  I hope I can pollinate one with the other, if flower timing works out.  These are small trees.  Ideally, I should not try to make them produce fruit this year.  But life is short and I would like a taste.  If possible.