First New Potatoes. 7.5.18

 A few of the potato plants have browned and withered, so I dug them up.  These were potatoes that sprouted in the garage, so I planted them in late winter.  The other plants are a few weeks from harvest.

The starts were so dried out, I didn't know what they would look like.  I broke off the longest shoots, and left the shortest to grow.

Not a bad harvest.  One bunch of russets and one bunch of red potatoes for potato salad.

This year I planted in trenches, filling in as the plants grew.  The rationale was that they would need less water, in the heat of summer, and there might be fewer eaten by voles.  So far, no vole browsing at all, and they have not been watered in at least a month.

Moving a 16 year old Petite Negri fig tree. 6 months later. 7.5.18

This is the approx 16 year old Petite Negri fig tree that I moved last November.  I moved it because this is among my favorite fig tree varieties, excellent flavor, but I'm converting the old place to a more conventional yard for eventual sale, and this tree is so slow starting and growing, I didn't want to wait many years for a decent crop.

I spent several days digging.  I took as large a root mass as I could, but it was necessary to cut several large roots.  Based on WA State extension information, I did not cut back the top, other than what was needed for safe moving.   

I've been watering the tree every week, using the 5-gallon bucket with holes in bottom method, 3 buckets full of water slowly draining, each time.  There was no die-back at all.  I have spread the growth from the bottom, for a wider, bowl-shaped crown.  The height is about 8 feet tall.  I left a few brebas - about 10 - but removed the rest, so that nutrients and photosynthetic energies could go into regenerating root biomass and some top growth.  The top growth was minimal - about 6 inches - although this tree grows slowly anyway.

Compared to other fig trees in the same row, this one is not nearly as lush.  I imagine that it needs at least a year to resume normal growth.  I may cut back - minimally - top growth this fall, so that the top is a little lower and more bushy. 

Overall I'm very pleased.  The tree made it through the move, there was no die-back, and my back has fully recovered.;  I'm happy to anticipate more delicious figs from this tree.  As a bonus, this location is much sunnier, which may move the season forward a week or two.  That would be nice, because I lose a lot of this variety of figs to the fall rains.

Daylily. 6.27.18

I had ordered this daylily from a mail order house about 15 years ago.  It was puny, didn't do well, and I transplanted it various times to spots where it didn't matter.  For some reason, it finally started blooming.  Now I like it.  No idea what name it had.

Some flowers around the yard. 6.22.18

Daylily "Carefree Peach"

Geranium "Vancouver Centennial"

Volunteer California Poppies

Chestnut - almost all male flowers.

Unknown Daylily

Ixia

Persimmon Tree Updates. 6.6.18

Nikita's Gift Hybrid Persimmon..  6.6.18

 The persimmon trees are doing nicely.  I planted the Asian Persimmon "Saijo" and the hybrid  (D. kaki X D. virgiana cross) Persimmon "Nikita's Gift" tree in 2013, bare root from Raintree Nursery.  They've been bearing for at least 3 years.  My mower isn't working - normally I would have the grass cut shorter.  I'm trying to limb them up to make mowing easier, by eliminating deer cages, but they are not quite high enough for that yet.  Nikita's Gift continues to outperform Saijo, faster growth and more flowers.

Of the American Persimmons,  I planted Yates in Jan, 2015.   This tree was in a small tree pot.  It has been bearing for one or two years.
Again, I'm hoping to limb it up to make maintenance easier, while avoiding most deer damage.

Nikita's Gift Flower buds.  6.6.18

 Yates also has a good crop of flower buds, so I'm optimistic.

I think I bought Prairie Star American Persimmon  in 2014.  It had setbacks due to rabbit or deer browsing, but now looks vigorous and strong.  I'm not expecting flowers this year.

Yates American Persimmon Tree.  6.6.18

Many growers report that persimmons are deer resistant, but I've had significant damage from deer.  Since I don't want setbacks, I keep them caged and am working on growing them so that the low branches are  above the main deer-browsing height.

Yates American Flower Buds.  6.6.18

Saijo Persimmon Tree.  6.6..18

Saijo Persimmon Buds.  6.6.18

Prairie Star American Persimmmon Tree.  6.6.18