Dwarf Tomato Update. 5.28.2021

 Here are some of the dwarf tomato plants.  So far -

(1) The leaves are much thicker than regular tomato plant leaves.

(2) I think the ones I planted in containers are healthier looking than the ones I planted in the ground.

(3)  There are quite a few flowers on terminal buds.

(4) BrandyFred looks like a mutant plastic version of a to a tomato plant.  It's so sturdy, green, thick leaves.  Really an interesting and different tomato plant.

(5) CC McGee, which is in the ground, doesn't look too healthy. 

BrandyFred

Alpatieva 905A

left front Dwarf CC McGee, right front Dwarf Johnson Cherry

Left Dwarf Improved Champion, Right Extreme Bush

More Extreme Bush, with Mr. Rufus

Grafting Update. 5.27.2021

 I'm happy with the grafts so far.  All are growing.  A couple of the black cherries seem a bit slow, but the third of those is growing faster too.

These are third tiers for espaliers.  The most vigorous is Gala grafted onto Honeycrisp, then Rubinette grafted onto Zestar.  The red leaf apple is Otterson, grafted onto Calypso.  Otterson bloomed at every bud. I cut off the flowers.  Now it has a growth shoot, so it looks like it will grow OK too.

Mock Orange Blooming. 5.27.2021

 This mock orange is about 6 years old.  When smaller, deer browsed the tasty young shoots. It's much bigger now and they seem to leave it alone.

Very pretty flowers.  Almost like white roses.

Snap Pruning Blackberry Primocanes. 5.27.2021

 Blackberries have a two-step growth cycle.  During the first year, the primocanes grow.  Those survive the next winter, and in the next spring they become blooming floricanes, which bear the berries.  The exceptions are a few modern types that compress the cycle into one season, such as primocane bearing Prime Ark Freedom.

Some varieties are too vigorous.  My favorite is Triple Crown, which must grow 10 or 12 feet tall if I let it.  Then they fall over.  If they are topped when much shorter, they will grow lateral canes and remain much shorter.  The berry production is supposed to be much better too, on these laterals.

The pruning is very simple.  Books call it "pinching", but if the tip is bent, it snaps off.  No knife or pruning shears are needed.  There are various recommendations about the height - 2 to  4 feet.  I'm aiming for waist high, about 3 feet, but did these a little shorter to catch them while I was there and remembering.

Snapped!

 

Kenmore Sewing Machine Maintenance. Quilt Binding From Cotton Shirt. 5.27.2021

I may give in and buy inexpensive cotton sheet to back the blue brick pattern quilt.  Meanwhile, I made the binding, which will complete the quilt edges, once I get to that.  

This was a previously owned XL cotton long sleeve shirt.  Kind of a medium weight fabric  There is no apparent outside/inside, or I can't see the difference.  The dark spot is just a water drip from the steam iron.  

It was a simple process.  Wash / dry the shirt on warm / hot setting to preshrink and thoroughly clean. Thrift store shirts can have a musty scent, so I add color safe bleach to the was water, which seems to fully  cleanse the fabric.  I remove the pocket first, so the weave can shrink and needle holes vanish.  Starch, iron.  Cut seams.  Cut into the longest 2 1/2 inch wide strips possible.  Sew shorts strips together into one long strip, with 45 degree angle seams.  The angle reduces bulk when sewing on the binding.  Iron, and it's done and ready.  I needed about 26 feet of binding.  This shirt gave that, using the longest strips, with a bit left over.  Not much.  

Ning bought this sewing machine for me at an estate sale. It's in good condition. I downloaded the manual, which was online. Following the manual instructions, it was easy and straightforward to clean and oil the machine. One screw on the bottom is stuck, so I accessed that inside area by removing a panel on the end.  I applied some penetrating oil to that screw, maybe it will loosen with time.  It's nice, the casing has a door that opens to expose the sewing head for easy maintenance and light bulb replacement. I found LED light bulb replacement that I'll install when it arrives, for brighter light without the heat, although the existing incandescent isn't bad.

This sewing machine is pre-digital bells & whistles, can be home tubed-up, has a nice solid feel, and sounds like a good solid sewing machine. I hope it lasts a while - it's a lot of fun to use.