Resuming again. Again. :-) 9.6.18

Well, it's been a challenging summer in the garden.  The heat was difficult to deal with.  With many days over 100, I had to water some kitchen garden crops daily, or lose them.  It was hard to be out there watering.  Yellow jackets destroyed most of the summer fig crop - a new problem, first time in 18 years of growing figs.  That wasn't just here.  Home Depot and Fred Meyer ran out of yellow jacket traps.  The onions were repeatedly eaten my rabbits or deer, despite some creative mini-fences, so there was not crop of those.  I did get a crop of garlic despite the rabbits/deer, but it took frequent adjustments in coverings, and repellent sprays.  So some changes will be needed next year.

However, we got through the summer.  Subsequent posts will update some of the progress, and preparation for what comes next.  Some will be better attention towards the challenges of climate, herbivores, predators, and my own limitations, which are more than before.

Cheers!  On the the next joys, which are what it is all about.

Summer Seed Plantinbg Experiment: Perennial flowers. 7.14.18

In other years, I've planted several types of seeds in the mid-summer, usually vegetables that are ready in Fall, or some perennials that will bloom in subsequent years.  I've already planted turnips and radishes, which have germinated.  Next, some flowers.  This time I will plant in rows, same as vegetables.  If they grow, I can transplant in Spring to wherever I want them.

Paw Paw Trees. Progress Report. 7.13.18

 These are the 3 largest of the Paw Paw trees.  Sunflower and NC-1 were planted summer 2012.   That year I also planted "Rebecca's Gold", which died for some reason.

Not pictured is "mango" which I think was planted 2013 0r 2014. 

Allegheny has not bloomed yet but looks pretty vigorous.  I think I planted it in 2015 or so.

NC-1 is the most vigorous but Sunflower set by far the most fruit this year, which is the first year any of them have had developing fruit this far along.  I hand pollinated between these trees.    Both Sunflower and NC-1 have several trees a foot or two from the main trunk, which would be the rootstock.  I might leave those in place, since they could be pollinators for the main tree.   Sunflower looked a bit frail last year, but seems to be better this year.

When I planted these trees, I was so concerned about reported fragility of the roots, I did not untangle them.  I don't know if I would take the same approach now.  It might be better to bare root them, gently, using a stream of water.

Blackberries: Comparing Three Cultivars in the Pacific Northwest.

Prime Ark Freedom.  Harvested 7.13.18

 These are my three mature, producing blackberry plants.  I planted them in 2016.  Each had a taste last year, but this year are producing bowls full every day.

Prime Ark Freedom.
The largest berries of the three.  Bush-like, highly vigorous canes.  This is the floricane crop - the primocanes will be this fall.  Some people complain about the seeds.  I don't mind them.  Some people think Columbia Star has better flavor.  I like Prime Ark Freedom better.  Producing for about 5 days now.  Totally thornless.

Columbia Star.  Harvested 7.13.18

Columbia Star.  Producing for about 2 weeks now.  These are a little smaller than the first ones.  They are not as juicy as Prime Ark Freedom.  They need to ripen until they are falling off the plant, to get best flavor and sweetness.   Totally thornless.











Ebony King.  This is a very old cultivar.  The berries are smaller and rounder than the other two.  Just started producing.  I think not as productive as the other two.  On some days, I think the flavor is better than the others.  Today I think PAF won that contest.  I think, fewer seeds.  The thorns can be annoying.

I also have one-year-old "Arapaho" and "Triple Crown".  The "Triple Crown" is the most vigorous of those two, although maybe not as vigorous as "Prime Ark Freedom.".  They have a few berries from their first-year floricanes, not ripe yet.  Arapaho looks pretty vigorous, very tall growing.

All of my blackberries are in fenced beds now.  Thorns are there for a reason, and deer and rabbits are quick to discover the joys of thornlessness.  I also have bird nets, although so far birds have not been a big problem.

Of the producing berries, here are my favorites.

Flavor:  (1) Prime Ark Freedom.  (2) Ebony King.  (3) Columbia Star.

Convenience.  (1) Prime Ark Freedom.  (2) Columbia Star.  (3). Ebony King (mainly due to thorns).

Productivity.  (1)  Prime Ark Freedom.  (2)  Columbia Star.  (3).  Ebony King.

Vigor.  (1)  Prime Ark Freedom.  (2).  Columbia Star.  (3).  Ebony King.

Seediness.  I can't tell much difference.  Maybe PAF is more seedy, but it doesn't bother me.

Hardiness.   Too early to say.  PAF may not tolerate the coldest winters, at least in its first year from tissue culture.  Last winter the primocanes overwintered without problems.

Disease and inset infestation:  No problem with any of these, so far, even in ground that was cleared of Himalayan Blackberries the year


Of the two newer plants, I am prepared to really love Triple Crown.  I've read many rave reviews of that cultivar.  It will have a few berries this year, but for a fair test, I should compare them to the others when the plants are more mature next year.  Ditto for Arapaho, which I bought hoping for extended season.  As of now, both Triple Crown and Arapaho will give me a taste on the florcanes that grew last year, but the primocanes that grew this year dwarf last year's growth.  Even so, PAF is more vigorous, so far, than either of those.
It's very nice being able to pick blackberries and eat them by the handfulls, while out doing gardening and chores.  Most do not make it back to the kitchen, regardless of the cultivar.

Ebony King.  Harvested 7.13.18

Paw paws so far this year. 7.12.18

 This is the first year with real chance of ripe pawpaws.  I planted these trees as containerized trees, in summer 2012.  They have been blooming every year for the past 4 years.  Each year, I hand pollinate dozens of flowers.  This year, about a dozen flowers took on the cultivar "Sunflower" and one took on the cultivar "NC-1".  Maybe ripe in September?