Apple Graft Results. 10.27.22

 These are grafts I did in March or April.  

Mutsu on Geneva 222 rootstock.  I had left the rootstock dry out last year, and it still survived.  Whatever I had grafted on it did not.  So this Spring, I repotted it, cut off the top, and grafted it with Mutsu scion.  The graft union is kind of ugly, both because I didn't use a fresh razor blade to make the cuts, and because the scion and rootstock sizes were very mismatched.  Doesn't matter.  In a few years, it will be difficult to locate the graft union, as the trunk enlarges and they meld together.  I might replant this one into a container bed this winter.

 

Freedom Apple, on Redlove Odysso espalier. Odysso might be a dud. Still no ripe apples to taste. I decided to make the top two tiers into Freedom, a disease resistant old variety. Again, ugly graft and this was a cleft graft because I couldn't get a good whip and tongue.  Plus a size mismatch, again.  Didn't matter.    It healed great, and growth was phenomenal.

This will need some winter work, to make the tiers horizontal.  That is not a big deal.

Finally, Blue Pearmain on Redlove  Era.  Same graft issues, took great and the graft union healed completely over. I think this one actually was a whip and tongue, which makes a cleaner and faster healing graft union.

I guess I need to make some decisions about the Redlove trees.  I may overgraft some of the lower tiers with something more productive.

Covering Peach Tree To Prevent Peach Leaf Curl Disease. 10.27.22

 I finally got the genetic dwarf peach trees covered. 

I don't know if I did it on time.  Covering to prevent rain from getting into the buds, prevents peach leaf curl disease.  I has already rained a few inches.  However, one year I dug up a peach tree and pitted it this late, and kept it sheltered.  It did fine.  I also wrapped the branches in garbage bags one year in Novembet.  I think that worked too.  I'm not sure.

Overwintering Hot Pepper Plants. Method #2.

 I don't know if this will work.  These didn't ripen all of their peppers, so I wanted to move them into the sunroom to finish ripening.  It's similar to the other method, but less pruning.

This is a nice Thai pepper plant.  I dug it up and hosed off the roots.  No pruning, this time,

Then I potted it in good potting soil and watered it in.

Then I let it drain.  Previously, I gave the same treatment to some Tabasco pepper plants, a Serrano pepper plant, and another Thai pepper plant.  Here the are in the Sunroom.

Now I'll treat them like houseplants.  I don't know if they will survive, or not.  The Tabasco and Serrano were already sad looking.  I don't think their soil was good.

Overwintering Hot Pepper Plants. 10.27.22

 Hor pepper plants can be overwintered.  Last year, I overwintered a Jalmundo (jumbo Jalapeño) plant.  To  do that, dig up the plant.  This one is a Cayenne pepper that has been harvested.

Now hose off all of the soil.  That removes insects and other harmful creatures.

Now prune the roots and top to a more compact shape.  The top pruning can be pretty radical.  I pruned to about 1/2" above nice looking nodes.  Each node can produce several branches when it starts growing again.

Now plant the pruned hot pepper plant in a clean container with good quality potting soil.   Water it in.  Let it drain.  Now store in bright,  cool, frost-free room.

Here it is with two friends, a Jalapeño and a Banana pepper plant.  Also a dendrobium orchid.

These will be allowed to dry out, with only slight moistening until late winter.  Now they are in the garage.  I will move them to a cool room, before it's too cold.

Another Frog. 10.27.22

These little frogs are all over the place.  Frogs eat insects.  So I'm happy they are here.