Transplanting Columnar Apple Trees. 10.6.18

Three year old tree, made from "North Pole" scion .  10.6.18

Last year, I transplanted a columnar apple tree that I had started on a sucker from a dwarf or semidwarf apple tree, which I had cut down some time before that.  Despite the lost of significant, if not most, of the roots, that tree survived the winter, bloomed, and I allowed a few apples to develop.  The growth was less than for an established tree, but there was actual new growth, and the tree appears to be becoming established.

Today, I moved the sibling of that tree, and another older, much larger, columnar apple tree.

Above tree, replanted.  10.6.18

 The first was a tree from the same scion source (North Pole Apple), and root stock, as the above tree.  However, I had transplanted this one when it was smaller, and it had enough time to establish that there were more than a dozen large apples that I collected today.  The location is inconvenient for deer fencing, so I decided to move it.    I tried to get all of the roots that I could.  I think this has a better root ball than the previous tree, so it should survive.

The second was a Golden Sentinel tree that I planted in 2012.  This tree is much taller and larger biomass.  Again, I tried to get the most roots that I could, but losses were significant for the amount of tree.  From what I've read, we should not attempt to prune back to "match" the roots, but leave as much top as we can.  I did remove about the top 3 feet, and some of the side branches.

Because the second tree is top heavy, I also planted 3 fence posts and tied the tree loosely to the posts.

Six Year Old "Golden Sentinel" Columnar Apple Tree.  10.6.18

Above Columnar Apple, Replanted.  10.6.18

After the leaves are lost, I intend to prune back the branches and spurs, to match the ideal columnar shape.  That will be in a month or two.

I'm optimistic these trees will survive, despite root loss.  I've moved several apple trees that were similar age and had similar losses, and all survived.  They will need generous watering next year.

Planting Garlic.10.5.18

Spanish Roja Garlic to Plant.  10.5.18

Planting Garlic.  10.5.18

Today I planted the first batch of garlic.  These starts were from Territorial seeds.  I planted two strains:  Music and Spanish Roja.  The Music garlic cloves were among the largest I've seen.

I didn't intend to plant so much, but this is the size package sold.  I also want to plant some that I saved from this year.  I will need to clear additional garden space.

Learning - I hope - from mistakes made, these are all in the fenced in area where I had sauce tomatoes.  I hope the fencing is deterrent to deer and rabbits, which caused delay and probably smaller cloves this year and last year.

The rotation for this area overlaps garlic planted last year.  Also sweet corn and attempted okra.  There was no evidence of disease last year, so I'm thinking it's OK.  Last winter, this area was ducks, and this year it was tomatoes.

Smith Fig. Hardy Chicago Fig. 10.2.18

Smith Fig.  10.2.18

Smith Fig.  10.2.18

 Even though I don't have much expectation regarding Smith Fig, I left the tree in that space.  This tree is better adapted for the hot, humid Louisiana climate, not the cooler Pacific NW.  Two winters ago, I thought it was dead.  But it came back.  Last winter was very mild.  This summer was longer and hotter than usual.  This tree grew significantly.  The brebas were plentiful but fell off when small.  Today I noticed some ripe figs.  The one on the left appears overripe, the one on the right about perfect.  Both had sublime flavor - the expected flavor for dark figs, rich, sweet, juicy.  Now I will be checking, daily, for more ripe figs.

The lower pictured figs are from Hardy Chicago.  Also called Chicago Hardy.  I started this tree from a cutting taken from my Hardy Chicago fig tree in Vancouver.  It's interesting.  These are smaller, darker, sweeter, and richer, than the ones in Vancouver.  The site is sunnier, dryer in summer, more exposed.  I don't know about the soil differences.  I'm very happy with these figs, too.

Hardy Chicago Figs.  10.2.18

Hardy Chicago Figs.  10.2.18

Persimmons Almost Ripe. 10.1.18

Nikita's Gift Persimmons.  10.1.18

They are still hard to the touch.  With the changing color, I think we will have ripe persimmons soon.

Transplanting Dwarf Apple Trees, Progress Reports. 10.1.18

Minidwarf Liberty Apple, 2 Years After Transplanting.  10.1.18

These were dwarf trees that did not perform well in their established locations, so I decided to transplant them.  The trees were about 13 years old, but possibly older  The Liberty on M27 was still a small bush, about 5 feet tall.  I think the Jonagold was also on M27 but because of its vigor, had grown to about 8 feet tall.  In their original location, they had competition from a massive old Cherry tree, and were shaded on their south and west sides.

I decided there was not a lot to lose.  I transplanted these trees on 12.3.16.   I pruned branches that were too low.  They were given generous waterings for their first summer, and watered about once weekly, or every other week, for their second summer.

I'm very happy with the result.  Now they are in full sun, and have no lawn or large tree competition.  Both trees produced like crazy this year.  The Liberty put on about a foot of height, and the Jonagold filled in new branches where they had been sparse.

Dwarf Jonagold Apple Tree, 2 Years After Transplanting.  10.1.18

This is the best production that I have had from either tree.  I am happy that I moved them.  More importantly, this shows that dwart apple trees, even once that are more than 10 years old, can survive transplanting and be planted in a new location with good results.

Now I have two columnar trees that need moving.  Rainy season will begin soon, and the area is prepared, so as soon as their apples have been picked, they will be ready to move.