Pawpaw Progress Report. 4.28.16

Pawpaw flower.  4.28.16

Maybe this will be the year of the pawpaw.  The oldest three trees were planted in summer 2012.   Of those, two - "Sunflower" and "NC-1" have / had lots of flowers this year.  A one year old -  tree about 18 inchest tall, "Mango" also had all of 2 flowers, tiny tree size.  even though "Sunflower" was definitely ahead of "NC-1", there has been overlap of both pollen shedding and stamen receptivity for both.  Some of the "Sunflower" flowers were the first, so there was no "NC-1" pollen to pollinate them.  Even so, it looks like those set.  "Sunflower" is considered unusual in that it may be self fertile.

I continue to collect pollen when the anthers are shedding, and transfer to what I perceive to be receptive stigmas on the other tree.  I also transferred some to "Mango" although that one is way to small to think it will bear.

Pawpaw flower.  4.28.16

It looks like some of thepollination took, especially on these first flowers on "Sunflower".

I need to keep my excitement in check.  There are lots of things that can happen between now and Sept or Oct, when I expect these to ripen.  Still, if all of the flowers set fruit, they will need some thinning and good watering for the summer.

I have never tasted my own pawpaw, and have only tasted tiny bites at the Home Orchard Society fruit fair - probably not optimal.  Looking forward to tasting my own pawpaw fruits.

Early fruit formation, Pawpaw "Sunflower".  4.26.16

Early fruit formation, Pawpaw "Sunflower".  4.28.16

Ning and the dogs. 4.28.16

I couldn't decide which photo to post so I posted all of them. Charlie (black) is 15, and Baigou (white) is 14. I won't say how old Ning is.

IBC Tote rain water storage.  4.23.16

Rainwater diverter close-up.  4.23.16

Two weeks ago I finally completed installation of the second rain water tank.  This tank is 275 gallon, used, food grade plastic.  The section of roof is only about 1/4 of the house roof, so there is potential for more.  After seeing that 2 rainfalls only filled the tank about 2/5 full, Ning diverted  another section of the roof gutter towards this downspout for more roof area rain supply.  It's raining now, so we can check in the am to see if the tank is full.

This climate here is sort of Mediterranean, with most of the rain in the late Fall, Winter, and early Spring, with mostly dry during the rest of the year.  I need to water most of the garden for most of the summer.  The house is at the top of a hill, the home orchard and some of the vegetable garden are downhill from the house.   This, in addition to the 75 gallon tank I installed this spring, gives 350 gallons, minus some at the bottom of the 75 gallon drum that can't be accessed via the drain.

This tank system should supply most of the garden, south of the house, with much of this Summer's water needs.  I have not calculated how much I used before, so it's only a guess.  I can also run a hose from the tank down the hill


Roof water is not potable - who knows what lands on the roof via birds and wind? - but is usable for watering the garden.  

The diverter has a simple feedback system.  When the tank water level is the height of the diverter, any additional water goes down the downspout same as if the diverter wasn't there.  There is a debris screen, so that any debris goes into the drain same as it would without the diverter present.

What's Blooming? 4.23.16

Lilac "Bloomerang" 4.23.16

Iris "Florentina".  4.23.16

Iris, either Mme Chereau or Swertii.  Bought as Mme Chereau.  Amazing fragrance.

Mountain Ash.  4.23.16

Viburnum "sterile".  4.23.16

Fava Beans. Progress Report. 4.22.16

Fava Bean "Windsor" 4.22.16

Favas are blooming at about one foot tall.  I was concerned about the extra warm weather, into the 80s but now it's down into the 60s and tonight into the high 30s.  So the cool friendly favas should be OK.

The photo blurring is due to taking the photo through chicken-wire cage.  Necessary to keep herbivores at bay.