I really like it when the summer squashes start bearing. I planted less this year so I won't be overwhelmed.
The potatoes were from sprouted grocery potatoes I planted late winter in a fabric container. Not a massive harvest, three pounds and a few ounces from one container. Still, not bad.
So far I surprised myself with the first four star blocks.
As with two other quilts, these are made from fabric from second hand men's 100% cotton shirts. Some features are fabric left over from previous quilts. Those were fabrics I especially liked. I have to be creative in their use because only small amounts remain.
These took longer because of the white backgrounds. I have a crinkly white fabric that I used, to add texture. However, it's so thin I was concerned the batting would show through. So I used spray basting to bond them to a heavier white fabric. The spray basting will wash away when the final quilt is laundered, leaving the two layers much softer but with the nice crinkly look on the surface.
Now comes a bit of a dilemma. Each fabric is in a limited amount. I have to vary it so I make the best use of each. The shapes are irregular, so it's difficult for me to decide how far each piece will go. I thought I might alternate these with the darker blue, with lighter blue stars. Here is a comparison. The light blue one isn't sewn together yet, so it is larger.
I don't think I like the lighter color for the star. The other fabrics - the grey and the background - are in short supply, but I think I have enough of the dark blue for at least the next four (out of thirteen total) blocks, and who knows, maybe all thirteen. The grew and white parts will have to be more diverse, which I think will add variety.
I will play with it and see what happens.
This year I only did three grafts. That was in March. The scion was from Maine, varieties that are historic or disease resistant.
The first was the disease resistant variety "Freedom". Freedom was released by the New York Ag Experiment Station in Geneva, in 1958. It is multiple disease resistant.
Here is how the graft looks now. It has healed nicely. The leaves had an aphid infestation and are sad looking, but I think that is over.
Today I pruned a lot of new growth on the lower tree, including any new growth occurring below the graft. I also pruned the graft to make it make branches for the espalier arms.
This was the graft when I did it. I'm using Freedom for the top two tiers of a four-tier espalier. The lower two are the red flesh RedLove Odysso. (TM) It was a difficult graft. The wood was very hard, my knife was dull, and I wasn't doing well at the time. Still, apple trees are resilient, I had it wrapped tightly, and it took.
The second on was a graft of the ancient, historic variety "Blue Pearmain", on another red flesh espalier "RedLove Era" (TM). I don't think Era is turning out that well, but the Blue Pearmain might give me something to look forward to. Again, the intent is top two tiers will be "Blue Pearmain", bottom two will be the red flesh variety.
That graft was similar to the first, except I was able to do a Whip and Tongue graft this time, which I like better. This one took too. I also pruned this one to force branching and remove some competing growth from the understock.
The last one was the variety "Mutsu". I had a rootstock that had survived a lot of neglect and mistreatment, and I used that. The rootstock was the variety "Geneva 222", a highly dwarfing type. So far, it's still in a plant container. The scion was tiny and flimsy. I was only able to match up the cambium on one side.
Here is the Mutsu now. Only the side with matching cambium has healed so far. But, if that side healed, it's promising that so will the other side later. This tree will need a lot of TLC. For one thing, it needs to go on the drip line, for consistent watering.
The bad side
The first Costata romanesca Zucchini, and the first Saffron Summer Squash, but today.
Those little pawpaws continue to swell.
The persimmons are beginning to swell, too.
Lots of plums this year.
Genetic Dwarf Peach, Garden Gold
