New Daylily Shipment. 7.11.15

Daylilies from Oakes Daylilies.  7.11.15

This seems to be my year of the daylily.  One night, 10days ago, I could not sleep. I googled on daylilies, and wound up on the page for Oakes Daylilies in Tennessee.

I ordered the following varieties:

Strawberry Candy - 26" tall, 4 1/4" flower, strawberry red, rose red eye zone.  Reblooms.  Semi-evergreen, tetraploid, 1989.

Carefree Peach - 27" tall, 3" flower, peach color, narrow rose red eyezone, starts early and blooms until frost.  Diploid, dormant,

Siloam Virginia Hansen - 18" tall, 4" flower, pale pink, red eye, green throat.  Not listed as reblooming.  Diploid, dormant, 1979.

They added a bonus variety, Winsome Lady.  24" tall, 5 1/2" pink flower, early starter with rebloom, fragrant.  Diploid, dormant, 1964.

These seem like a nice selection.  They do not duplicate varieties that I already have.  I am going to count on them not being different from pictured in the catalog.  The catalog is copyrighted, so I won't post their photos here.

Planted Carefree Peach.  7.11.15

These are very impressive daylily clumps.  These are fat clumps, with healthy looking thick roots, big clumps with multiple fans.  They are far, far, better than what I have seen locally in containers.  Most will probably not bloom until summer 2016,  so you don't get the instant gratification.  I don't need instant gratification.  It's possible I might see flowers on the rebloomers in the group.

Today was quite overcast, and temp only into low 80s.  They should do OK.  Of the varieties, Carefree Peach was more like a cluster of 5 separate plants, so I planted them slightly apart to give growing room.  All of the others were single clumps, which I did not attempt to divide.

Adding some info on other varieties in my border-

Chicago Apache.  27" tall, 5" flower, tetraploid, dormant.  1981.  Not listed as rebloomer, and has not rebloomed for me.

Chicago Apache.  7.11.15

Pardon Me.  18" tall.  2 3/4" flowers.  Diploid, Rebloom.  Fragrant.  AHS states nocturnal bloomer - if that means it only blooms at night, I may not keep it.  According to AHS, nocturnals open in the evening, and my be open for the next day. 

Fooled Me.  24" tall, 5.5"  flower  , Dormant, tetraploid, extended blooming season,

Stella D'Oro.  Kind of a cliche variety, seen everywhere.  1975.  Diploid, dormant.  Extended blooming / reblooming.

Luxury Lace.  32", 4.5" flower, reblooms, diploid, dormant. 1959.

Ice Carnival,   28" tall, 6" flower size, mid season with reblooms.  diploid, dormant. 196.  Listed as very fragrant.  I've had it for 3 years and was not aware of fragrance.

There are also some mystery varieties, and some that are clearly not what was on the label, possibly mutants of known varieties.

Much of the variety details above comes from the AHS website, or Oakes Daylily, or general web search.

Hybridizing.
Today I also played with them a little.  I added pollen from Chicago Apache (triploid) to Fooled Me (triploid) an the unknown that is either mislabeled or mutant Daring Deception.  I added pollen from Fooled Me to Chicago Apache.   I also added self-pollen to stamens of Ice Carnival, and to an unknown somewhat ruffle yellow.    Diploid will not pollinate triploid, and triploid will not pollinate diploid.

Fresh Fruit. 7.11.15

Crimson Pointe Plums.  7.11.15

 The Crimson Pointe plums are ripe.  Small plums, juicy but not watery, and a nice plum spiciness.  This plum is ornamental but the fruits are tasty.  Just not a marketable size.  The tree is no-maintenance.

I bought the Bella Gold Peacotums (peach/apricot/plum hybrid) at a farmer's market.  Initially I didn't think much of them.  Just kind of a generic stone fruit flavor.  After they ripened for another day, they seem sweeter, and I can taste the mix of flavors from each parent. They are pretty good.

Crimson Pointe Plum Tree.  7.11.15

Purchased Bella Gold Peacotums.  7.11.15

Sweet Corn and Squash Progress Report. 7.5.15

Sweet Corn "Trinity Hybrid".  7.5.15

Sweet Corn on Hillside Showing Micro-Terracing.  7.5.15

 The sweet corn and squashes are growing rampantly.  I got to a late start, wondered how they would do.

The first batch of sweet corn is starting to form tassles.  No silks so far.

When I planted on this hillside, I didn't think ahead.  After planting, I saw the water run downhill when irrigating.  So I made micro-terraces, using a hoe.  Each row has a slight terrace, so water pools just above the plants.  Working nicely.

The squashes are blooming nicely.  Most of the flowers are male.   Enough female flowers to get some big zucchinis already, and heirloom yellow summer squash.

Summer Squash.  7.5.15

Squash Growing Rampantly  7.5.15

Varbascum. 7.5.15

Varbasscum.  7.5.15

Daylily "Fooled Me".  7.5.15

 Too hot to do anything.  Mostly watered, then stayed indoors.

This verbascum is elegant.  Silver-blue furry leaves, strong distinctive stature, and yellow flowers that poke out from the top.   This plant was a volunteer that I rescued from the orchard.

Another photo of Daylily "Fooled Me".  I will need that to look back on, come winter.

A pink version of the Tigridias.  The mix really is a mix.  Again, I pollinated with its own pollen.

Pink Tigridia.  7.5.15

Fig Progress Report. 7.5.15

Brunswick main crop figs.  7.5.15

Container Carini with small main crop figs.  7.5.15

 This progress report is for fig trees at the Battleground place.  The 4 in-ground and 3 potted at the Vancouver place will follow if I have the energy.

Brunswick - started from cutting 2001, moved to Battleground 2012.  Big main crop figs.  I hope they continue.

Sal's - started uncertain date, slow start.  Planted small tree, 1 foot, Battleground, summer 2012.   Growth continues to be slow, which might be why there was no frost damage when other fast growing trees died to the ground.  Many figs, further ahead than most of the other varieties, even though growth is minimal.

Carini - I have both in-ground and container.  If the in-ground survives next winter, I want to find a good home for the container tree.   Two good size brebas, and a number of new main crop.  In-ground was grown from cutting 2013, winter killed to ground, that winter, grew back 2014 - slower - and survived winter with protection.  This winter is the big test, no protection.

Atreano - I have both in-ground and container.  Both are promising.  I would like to find a good home for the container tree, after I get to eat the figs.  I have not tried Atreano yet.  Similar story as Carini.

Hardy Chicago - Growth was slow.  Grew from cutting 2014.  Planted in-ground late last winter.  Some main-crop figs have begun, but very tiny so far.  

LSU Tiger - similar story as Atreano and Carini.  If in-ground survives this winter, the container tree will need a new home.  No protection for this winter.  I'm a bit interested to see what happens - growth was faster than I wanted.  My hypothesis is that fast growth will be less hardy during a cold winter or early cold snap.

Lattarula - same story as Hardy Chicago.  Also growing fast.  Big juicy stems.   Will they harden off in time for winter?

Dominick - growth is slow and steady.  Stems already look woody.  Might be good for a marginal climate.   Have not had a chance to taste them yet.  Two in-ground specimens.

Mystery - found near deck in Vancouver.  Leaves similar to Brunswick, but I doubt that.  Growing well.

King - growth not that vigorous, which portends well for winter.  But, with so little growth, not confident there will be brebas next year.  King is breba-only.

In-Ground Carini with 2 brebas and small main crop figs.  7.5.15

Basically, this is my Battleground fig research project.  It makes sense that if a variety does well in Vancouver, it would do will in Battleground, which is not a lot different.  Winter might be a couple of degrees colder, and there might be a few days earlier frost, and slightly cooler Spring.  For cultivars that are marginal in Vancouver, they might not thrive or produce in Battleground.

Still, it's really to early to say.  None have been there more than 3 years.  Some are in their first year.  Several years of growth are needed before a fig tree really comes into production.  

In-ground Atreano.  7.5.15

Hardy Chicago.  7.5.15

Lattarula.  7.5.15

LSU Tiger.  7.5.15