Plant labels. 11..4.14

 Something to do when ill or otherwise laid up, and still having to do with gardening.  These are among the few types of labels I've used that last a long time.  They have little wires to attach to trees or plant stems.  Once the label is in place, it helps me keep track.  My memory of garden plants is good, but labels help a lot.

GInkgo biloba Tree. Started from seed approx 1996. 11.4.14

This is my favorite time of leaf color change for ginkgo.  When there is green and yellow in each leaf.  The yellow coloration starts at the outer margin, and works its way proximally to the stem.

My dad gave me the seed for this tree in about 1996 or 1997.  I started it in a flower pot when I lived in Chicago, and brought it to Vancouver WA in 2000. 

This is my favorite of all trees.

Puttering, a little. Tree protection. Bearded Iris Seeds. 11/2/14

No photos today.  Mostly homework, and fatigue.  Today the fatigue is rather bad.

I did cut more 1/4" hardware cloth sleeves to protect trees.  As long as I do a few at a time, I can get most protected before the coldest weather sets in.  Many already have sleeves from previous years.  The largest Greenspire linden needed more room, I added a larger sleeve for that tree.  Most of the figs and fruit trees are protected.

I also moved some fencing loops to shrubs that the deer like.  No effort.  I used those to support plastic tunnels last winter.  Coincidence, they are good size and shape to protect some shrubs.

Image of German Water Vole.  via commons.wikimedia.org

I've come to regard protection from animals as an inseparable dimension in gardening, equal to mulch, fertilizer, water, pruning.  In town, sometimes not such an issue.  In the country, it is.

Rain is near continuous now.  I like that.  It ranges from mist, to drizzle, to pouring, with some breaks in between.  Even in rain and overcast, sunroom is suprisingly bright.

Finally planted some bearded iris seeds.  Only a few seeds, from Pallida dalmatica.  No way to know if it was self pollinated or cross pollinated.  I would bet self.  If they grow, we may find out in a few years.

The image is not one of our local voles.  I image they look similar.  This one is a German water vole.   Despite their compelling cuteness, voles are not wanted.  They can kill a 10 year old tree by girdling the bark, in one night. 

That's about all. 

Puttering. Leaves, bulbs, moving perennials. 11.1.14

No pics this time.

I raked leaves from big maple.  It's about half done dropping leaves.  I used them for mulch for a dozen trees and shrubs. Good timing.  The grass clipping mulch had many small seedlings sprouted.  Now those are buried under leaves.

I did a 3-way move in front bed.  Buddleia Blue Chip should only be about 3 feet tall, but I did not account for 3 foot spread.  I moved that to a different bed with more room.  Next to it was a small Stella D'Oro daylily.  There are several yellow daylilies in the front bed.  I moved it to the location where I had a brick red Chicago Apache daylily, moved Chicago Apache to the location where the Buddleia was, and planted Spring bulbs in the spot where the Stella D'Oro daylily was.  It's nice to plant things that I was growing elsewhere.  Kind of like a gift from friend or relative, but it was from me.  I like the Chicago Apache, the flowers are big and showy, but it was in a spot where it was difficult to see.  It will show up better in front of the sunroom.  The bright yellow of the Stella D'Oro will show up better there. 

Finally, I planted more bulbs.  Sale at Fred Meyer and Lowes. 

Daffodil / Narcissus King Alfred 8 bulbs planted as one cluster
Daffodil / Narcissus Jetfire 18 bulbs planted as 2 clusters
Daffodil / Narcissus Ice Follies 18 bulbs, planted as 2 clusters
Allium Purple Sensation 6 bulbs, planted as 1 cluster. 

Total = 50 bulbs, so fall 2014 total is 214.  It's not as difficult as it sounds.  Digging with a shovel for planting clusters, instead of individual bulb digger or trowel for each bulb, is much easier.  Plus this was extended over more than a month, and largely as breaks from homework.

In the Spring, if I am able, I want to move a couple dozen clumps of Hyacinthoides and maybe a dozen clumps of Narcissus, from Vancouver house to Battleground.   Both are not liked by deer, rabbits, or voles.   Moving the clumps when they are about 3 to 6 inches tall, digging deep and taking the clumps intact, they move nicely and bloom the same Spring like nothing changed.  Plus they look established like they were there a long time.

Potting a Peach Tree and Some Tree Volunteers. 10.29.14

El Dorado Peach Tree, Uprooted.  10.29.14

 I have been meaning to dig up the smallest of the genetic dwarf peach trees - this is El Dorado - and pot it up.  The main reason is peach leaf curl.  If I can keep it in shelter, out of the rain, in theory, PLC should not be a problem.  I have larger Honey Babe and Garden Sun, too big to dig up and treat this way.

I love peaches but it's been quite difficult growing them here.  The main problem is devastating peach lead curl disease.

This El Dorado Genetic Dwarf Peach tree is really too big to dig up.  It a robust, 6 foot tall tree, well branched.  I started digging yesterday, and finished today.  I dug a trench in a wide circle around the tree, then tried to slice under the tree with a shovel.  I was surprised there was a large thick tap-root.  I had to cut  through it to release the tree.  I pruned to even up the somewhat rough cut, trying to minimize removal of any more feeder roots.

Most of the other roots look ok.  Even though the root pruning was drastic, I've seen worse and the tree survived.  It does look  very drastic to me.  Being fall, there is a chance the tree will re-root itself with feeder roots despite removal of the anchor root.

Reasons it might not live -
*Too drastic removal of roots.
*Residual leaf curl disease on the stems.
*Root mass may freeze.  I plan to keep the tree outside because it needs chill time in order to bloom.

If the tree survives, it will make a nice ornamental.  Genetic dwarf peaches bloom beautifully.

Based on the tree planting info from Linda Chalker-Scott debunking horticultural myths, I did not top the tree or prune top to compensate for loss of root mass.  I did remove dead twigs.  There were a lot of those.

For this winter, I intend to keep the tree under house overhang, on the North side of the house.  That location may also keep it cooler, and delay bloom, which would be good.  But it it does bloom, and frost threatens, I can move it inside on chilly nights.  Next Spring and Summer I can keep it on the deck, for TLC. 

El Dorado Peach Tree, Potted.  10.29.14

 Doubtless, it will need a larger container by early summer.

There are also the peach seedlings at battleground.  They survived potting up and look nice and healthy.

I want at least 2 cherry seedlings in order to create Japanese cherry trees.  I think sweet cherry seedlings should be very robust and make a nice tree.  This was a volunteer sweet cherry from the yard.  At Battleground I also have a few sweet cherry seedlings.  By growing them in containers for a season, I can protect them and give TLC, as I do with figs, for maximal growth.    It would be nice to be able to bud graft at least one, next year.

While I was at it, I also potted up the volunteer fig tree from the front of the house.  It had nice roots.  Based on inspection, it was a stem or cutting, I just don't know from which variety or why it was there.

El Dorado Peach before moving.  10.28.14

Volunteer Fig Bare Root.  10.29.14

Sweet Cherry Seedling.  10.29.14

"Volunteer" Fig and Cherry Seedlings, Potted.  10.29.14