Container Garden and Nursery. 6.13.15

Container Tree Nursery.  6.13.15

El Dorado Peach in Container.  6.13.15

 It's getting into the hotter sunnier season.  For container plants, that means more protection and more water.

Previously I took temperatures of container soil with and without reflective foil.  The foil reduced the temperature by roughly 15 degrees.  That was during hot sunny weather.  Based on that information, I've wrapped the 2 to 5 gallon containers with aluminum foil, shiny side out.  I may need to do that with the larger containers as well.

One or  two of the ginkgos may be used as rootstock to propagate my backyard ginkgo tree.  The plums may also be rootstock for next year's scion.  The dwarf peach seedling, I might use as rootstock or might just let it grow.  Without a non-dwarfed peach rootstock, it might never become a tree shape.  In a container, that's fine.  I prefer the compact shape.

I probably should have thinned the peaches better.   But, they are looking good.

I pinched the fig tree branch tips a couple weeks back.  They are responding with figs at the leaf axils.

Nagami kumquat - greening up.  No flowers.

Meyer lemon - lots of flowers.

Container Fig Trees.  6.13.15

 Swiss Chard - we've been eating some in stir fry every day.  It's been a rewarding container crop.

Nagami Kumquat.  6.13.15

Swiss Chard.  6.13.15

Meyer Lemon.  6.13.15

Walking Around. Fruit. 6.7.15

Bagged Apples.  6.7.15

Chinese Haw "Red Sun".  6.7.15

 Walking Around.

For most of the fruits, there isn't a lot that needs to be done, from now to fall.   If I am up to it, I can cut weeds, re-mulch, and do some summer pruning.  Some will need watering.

The zipper lock fruit bags always seem steamed.  I don't know if that hurts anything.  I have not seen that mentioned as an issue.

Ning's Chinese Haw has a nice crop of fruit, still small and green.  First year for that.  Deer like any branches within reach.

Almaden Duke Cherry multigraft.  I finished grafting yesterday.   Nothing to do until about 3 weeks from now, when the ties need to be removed.

Jonared apple multigraft.  Not much to do.  Re-mulch.  Tie down the branches for better spread of scaffold.  Any time this summer.

Fig row.  Lattarula is the most vigorous at the moment.  They will get water, but no fertilizer.

Meyer Lemon, in container.  Blooming nicely.  The fragrance is present even when not in sight.  Very sweet.  Leaves look yellow, but that doesn't seem to hurt.  Just needs water this summer. I do give it some acid-loving plant miracle grow, dilute.

Other citrus, unknown seedling, about 18 years old, just for decoration.  No bloom, not surprised.  Kumquat, no bloom.  I thought it might.  Same treatment as Meyer lemon.

Yates Persimmon.  Now that it's summer, I will back down  on the nitrogen boost.  This is first-leaf, so it will need regular watering.  Same with Mango Pawpaw and Sweet Treat Pluerry.  Speaking of which, the leaves are insect magnets.  Full of holes.  If it continues like that, I may not keep it.

Genetic dwarf peach seedling.  Very lush.  I think it's in it's 3rd or 4th year.  No idea if or when it will bloom.  Kept out of rain all winter.  Zero leaf curl.  Genetic dwarf peaches that were in the rain - covered with leaf curl.

Amaden Duke Cherry multigraft.  6.7.15

Jonared Apple Multigraft.  6.7.15

Lattarula Fig.  2nd year from cutting.  6.7.15

Meyer Lemon.  6.7.15

Yates Persimmon.  6.7.15

Genetic Dwarf Peach Seedling.  6.7.15

Walking Around. Vegetables. 6.7.15

Corn and Squash Bed.  6.7.15

Walking Around.

Corn and Squash are growing nicely.  Squash includes winter squash, summer squash, zucchinis, and pumpkins.  So are the beans, and tomatoes.  Peppers are OK, we might get some.

Ning's garden is ahead of mine.  He's proving to be a great gardener.

I've left this bed un-mulched, so the sun warms the soil.  Then it requires some hoeing.  As long as I don't let the weeds grow beyond small seedlings, it's easy.

The corn and squash have been boosted via pee-cycling.  I think that's why they are so green and lush and growing so fast.

Walking Around. Flowers. 6.7.15

Tuberous begonias.  6.7.15

 Walking around.  A lot of plants that I started much earlier are showing progress.  We are past the Spring bloom, and not quite into the summer bloom.  Since I usually don't buy flowers already in bloom, there is a wait while they are growing.  I like it that way.  By growing plants from seeds, or starts, or tubers, or bulbs, or  divisions, I feel like I am more of a gardener.  I can follow their life cycle, and see them either flourish, or remain or dwindle.

I planted the tuberous begonias about 2 months ago.  Some are just beginning to grow, others a few weeks.  I thought some were dead but they all came up.  Today they got a little flower plant food.

I planted a historic daylily into the front border.  This area by default is becoming a bed for rescued daylilies.  I don't have the names for most of them.

Rescued Daylily Bed.  6.7.15

Small Yellow Daylily.  6.7.15

First nasturtium.  6.7.15

Second Year Growth, Four O'Clock.  6.7.15

Four O'clock Seedlings.  6.7.15

In Ning's Meadow.  6.7.15

Milkweed Seedlings.  Asclepias syriaca.  6.7.15

Zantedeschia.  6.7.5

Most of the daylilies are just starting to bloom

The nasturtiums have opened their first flowers.  The leaves are nice and succulent.  The leaves have a delicious peppery flavor.

Four O'clock seedlings are starting to grow.  There are also volunteer seedlings.

Four O'clocks that were close to the house, survived the winter.  Re-growth started late, but they are very stout and vigorous, and quickly passed the new seedlings in size and vigor.

Zantedeschia are in a shady area.  Most are in their first year.  I have one container of Zantedeschias that I've grown for about 25 years.  That older one is not blooming yet.

Milkweed / Asclepias syriaca are growing slower than I expected.  Maybe as summer heats up they will take off.  I don't expect them to bloom this year.

Ning's meadow is looking beautiful, full of flowers and pollinating insects.

Progress Report. Columnar Apple Graft. 6.6.15

Whip-Tongue, 3 months later.  Columnar Apple.  6.6.15

 These are the grafts I did in march on 1-year-old columnar apple trees.

There is some callous formation distorting the shape of the graft.  That does not hurt anything.  Just cosmetic.

The grafts are fully healed.  Growth is strong.

Below the graft, there are lots of spurs.  Maybe fruit next year.  There are a few spurs above the graft, but I don't expect much from those next year,

Spurs on 2nd year of Columnar Apple.  6.6.15