Under the white cherry tree

This is the annual "try to get the dogs to cooperate for a photo under the white cherry tree" photo. I love this tree, old and gnarled, producing a profusion of double white flowers for a week. The orchard mason bees buzz around the flowers during the afternoon.

Yesterday - I pulled weeds, several buckets-full. I changed my mind about the potato choice, removed the fingerlings and replaced with gourmet whites. May plant the fingerlings elsewhere. Noted a few peas have sprouted - only a few. May replant.

Pulled more rhubarb leaves. Last week made strawberry rhubarb jam - easy and quick, the strawberries were frozen last summer. It was very good. Yesterday I made rhubarb jam - haven't tried it yet. I don't want to admit, I may like the version with strawberries, better.

Asian 3-way pear blooming, played the honeybee using a paintbrush to transfer pollen.

Later noted orchard mason bees have started to awaken, several flying around back and forth to their houses. Added a store-bought version with paper tubes, no time to make my own.

Flowering Quince

It's in the most neglected spot in the yard, a tall fence on the North side, my neigbor's house on the West, and our house on the East. I'm guessing 45 years old. Blooms every year. Get's a little pruning, that's all. Every Spring, one of the most beautiful shrubs around.

The order from Raintree Nursery came on Tuesday. Fortunately, the past 2 days have been cool, and I stored them North of the house where it is cooler. Today is Thursday, I unpacked and planted them. As it happens, today is warm and sunny, a beautiful day.

These are the trees. I'm a big fan of Raintree, and most of trees they have sent me have been robust and beautiful, and they have all grown rapidly. This time I do feel some disappointment. The middle tree, a minidwarf Honeycrisp apple, has about 3 roots, about 6 inches long each. Not much more than a partly rooted cutting. If I saw it in the store, I would have either passed on it, or paid half price or less. The tree on the left, a minidwarf Karmijn de Sonneville, is better rooted, I would call it a good specimen. The tree on the right is an Illinois Everbearing Mulberry, and is a handsome specimen with lots of thick, strong looking roots. Even the scrawny Honeycrisp Apple should grow, I hope, and I'll give it a try.

I look at buying fruit trees as: obtaining the genetic potential, in a 'package' that is healthy enough for me to grow. I hope they are large enough to produce in a few years, assuming that they respond well to my growth conditions. Most are grafted, again combining the genetic potential of the rootstock, with that of the scion. I also hope they are disease-free and healthy, without injuries. These trees are uninjured, and they were well packed.


Raintree nurseries describes Honeycrisp as: "outstanding crisp texture...sweet and tart flavors...pick it in September, but it develops its full aromatic flavor if left on the tree until mid October...somewhat scab resistant and has not shown problems with fireblight." (Photo from Raintree)


Karmijn de Sonneville is described by Raintree as: intensely flavored red russetted apple from Holland...highest in both sugars and acids...triploid cross of Cox's Orange Pippin and Jonathan...so highly flavored and aromatic that it overwhelms some tastes when just off the tree. (Photo from Raintree)

Raintree describes Illinois Everbearing Mulberry as "sometimes starts producing the first year...bears an abundance of sweet, highly flavored fruit, 1-1/2 inches long x 1/2 inch wide...berries ripen continuously throughout July, August, and September, hence its name....self-fertile (photo from Raintree). CFRG discusses mulberries, stating "M. alba X M. rubra...1958. Black, nearly seedless fruit large...very long, averaging 12 per ounce. Flavor good to very good, very sweet, considered best by by many. Matures over a long season. Tree vigorous and somewhat dwarfed, extremely hardy and productive."
This is the same variety, picture from Starks Brothers Nursery.

Plant expert Arthur Jacobson states: "few fruit trees in fact are so easily neglected without crop loss...mulberries fall when ripe, and with a splat notify the world that if they be not eaten fresh, forget it. Marketing mulberries is therefore difficult... Many people... cannot bide the thought of stains --mulberry juice is dark and persistent to an infamous degree...plant your 'Illinois Everbearing' tree well away from paving, patios or walks. Then, beginning the very first year, you can enjoy its fruit all summer"

For some reason, water that is set out for cats, chickens, or being used to soak trees is much tastier than water that is poured from the same faucet for dogs. No problem. I soaked the trees several hours before planting.

Choosing the spot for the mulberry. This is the spot where cucumbers grew last year on their tower. This year cucumbers will be in the front yard. I like to stand back and walk around and view from different angles before planting.

Planted, watered in, and pruned back to about 2.5 feet. This tree will be grown by the Backyard Orchard Culture method, with intense summer pruning. Most of my trees were cut back at the same height, and it's working well.

I have not seen mulberries grown by this method, but I don't see any reason not to try. It will be easy to cover with netting to keep the birds off - and birds are a reason that some people quit growing this fruit.

I will try to grow the pruned portion as well, as a cutting. If it grows, it may make a nice gift. CFRG states: "No special pruning techniques are needed after the branches have been trained to a sturdy framework...can be kept to a tidy form by developing a set of main branches, and then pruning laterals to 6 leaves in July in order to develop spurs near the main branches..not advisable to prune the trees heavily since the plant is inclined to bleed at the cuts. Cuts of more than two inches in diameter generally do not heal and should be avoided at all cost. The bleeding will be less severe if the tree is pruned while it is dormant." Mulberries are related to figs, and I suspect that similar issues apply.

Karmijn, planted and watered in. The hole was dug and prepared a while back, so this was an easy task.

Same for Honeycrisp.

Growing potatoes in a container

This year I decided to try growing potatoes in a container. Potatoes seem like a cheap, readily available commodity, so it may seem like a waste to grow some in a container. I was prompted by several thoughts.

First, I read that they grow very well in containers, providing a high yield in a small space. 2nd, I can grow varieties that are not easily found in the store.

3rd, based on my prior experience, fresh, home grown new potatoes taste very good - another item that seems better than store bought.

These are a white potato, the seed potatoes are labeled simply "Gourmet White". I grew a few 2 years ago, they were very good, but growing in the ground we missed most of them until they resprouted again. I also bought some organic "Russian fingerling" and will try those.

The method is:

1. Start with a container with about 1 ft of potting mix on the bottom. Lay in the sets. I haven't learned whether it's better to cut the sets into individual eyes, or plant the entire set. Both have been advised. Cornell advises cutting larger ones, and planting smaller ones whole. I decided to plant the entire set, reasoning that ther emay be less risk of rot. With multiple eyes, they may be more crowded, but in a container that may not matter. In addition, Cornell advises: "If you want fast emergence, keep the bag of cut potatoes at room temperature until sprouts appear. Some varieties are slow to break dormancy and benefit from a 2- to 4-week “pre-warming” before planting. Others sprout in just a few days. Plant about 2 to 4 weeks before your last frost date. The soil temperature should be at least 40 F. Do not plant where you've grown potatoes, tomatoes, peppers or eggplant in the past 2 years." It's so warm outside, I'm taking the chance and planting out side.


2. You can presprout the potatoes or grow in the soil. I'm not sure which is better. The gourmet white were already sprouting in the store, so it's decided. The Russian Fingerling are not sprouted, but if truly organic would not be treated with chemicals to prevent sprouting. I planted them directly. I also have a few in a windowsill to see if they sprout.

3. The potato sets are laid in the potting soil and covered with a few inches of potting soil. When the plants reach about 6 inches tall, a few more inches of potting soil are added, covering the lower leaves of the plants. This process is repeated until the soil is near the the top of the container, and can be further mounded.

4. According to containergardening.com, you can dig around in the soil with your hands,and pull off potatoes that seem big enough to eat, and each plant should produce about 2 to 4 pounds of potatoes. That's not bad for a container.

Some gardeners use containers that grow as the potatoes grow, or juse plastic garbage pails. I opted for a container that grew a Brugmansia last year, but had left outside so froze and died.

I may plant some sets in the garden as well. I have some left over.

Vegetablegardening.com suggests growing them in a cardboard box or bushel basket. This container was about the size of a bushel basket, maybe a bit larger. Some growers even grow them in a bag of potting soil.

A grower with a nice accent growing potatoes in compost bags:

Tomato and pepper seedlings

Last weekend (Sunday) I planted most of the varieties of peppers and tomatoes. There will be a few more to plant this coming weekend. They are in little pudding cups with holes drilled in the bottoms. I did use the seed starting mat - many sprouted in 2 days. That's impressive! So far, just tomatoes. The peppers are cayenne peppers that were in the seed starting experiment. I changed them over to regular potting soil. With their slow rate of growth, the early start may be needed. To the right is another of the orchid backbulb experiments, growing a tiny sprout. For the time being, it's under the light as well.


I dug out the old fluorescent light fixture and set it up in the window for the seedlings. That way, they get actual (but meager) sunlight, and much more supplemental light. This worked well in the past.

Container gardens

The wine barrel container gardens are growing nicely. I do think they got a head start due to coveirng with plastic. Now I'm leaving them uncovered, except for some chicken wire to discourage birds.
Everything has sprouted, with the exception of the old chinese celery and the onion seeds. Maybe they just need a little more time. The seeds that have sprouted and are growing actively are spinach, chinese radish, radish, brassica mesclun, lettuces, and cilantro. I don't know if they will give edibles in the claimed 20 to 30 days, since it's chilly. Still, very encouraging.

What's blooming?

Daffodils
These have grown undisturbed for 8 years.

Quince

Forsythia. This is the forsythia that I grew from a discarded stick, picked up while walking the dogs. Turned out nice. The location is shaded, NOrth of the house, but it is coming into its own.

Closeup of Sunny Delight peach.

Sunny Delight peach

Chinese Mormon Apricot.

Hollywood plum. this is the second year of growth - I wonder if the blossoms will set?

Honeybabe Peach

Trilite peach.

None of the peach trees appear harmed at all by the plastic wrapping method. I haven't sprayed a second time. I have a 6 inch tall peach seedling, slearly offspring from one of the genetic dwarf peaches, that has been growing for 2 years. It has not been treated wtih leaf curl prevention, and it does have leaf curl. So far, the other peach trees appear free of the disease. It is too early to say for certain.

Other developments:
The wild cherry seeds that I planted last summer are grown into 2 inch tall plants. I removed 3 to flower pots. The long term goal is super-pruning them like the other trees, in the style of "Backyard Orchard Culture". Can it be done? I don't know. Everything is a gamble.

The pear buds have opened into clusters of flower buds, but the flowers themselves are not yet open.

Last sunday I also went around with a little paintbrush, taking pollen from flower to flower among the peaches, then between the twp apricot trees, then between the plum trees. The Shiro plum has just 4 flowers, so who knows if it will fruit. The Hollywood plum is said to be self fruitful, and has many more flowers. It would be cool to have a crop of plums, second year after planting the tree. The peaches are also said to be self fruitful, but playing the bee shouldn't hurt anything. A few apricot flowers fell off while I was pollinating. That may mean it't too late to make a difference. We'll see.

Here is the rest of the Apple Pie

I've been informed that I did not publish the rest of the apple pie, as I said I would 2 weeks ago:-) here it is.


Crust recipe here.

This was a 9 inch apple pie.

I used 4 large Braeburn apples. I sliced 5, but that was too much, so I ate the 5th.

Filling is:
3/4 cup sugar (I used 2/3 cup, not as sweet)
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash of salt
6 cups thinly sliced baking apples (Braeburn is good, or Jonathan, or MacIntosh.
2 tbsp olive oil (Recipe calls for butter. I don't miss it, olive oil is healthier).
1 tsp vanilla.

I added the vanilla to the sugar, mixed them together, then ran the mixture through a sieve to make it granular again. I like having vanilla in the apple pie.

I layered the apples into the crust, a layer of apples, then a layer of flour mix, then a layer of apples, then a layer of flour mix, then one more layer. Then dribble the olive oil on top of the mix. Some bakers mix the apples and flour mix, then pour it into the crust. I think either is OK.

Covered with top crust, a few holes punched with a fork. My mother had a special "pie ventilator" device that cut little designs into the top. I've never been able to find one. Even though a fork does the job just fine, using the device would be more nostalgic. I guess I'll have to settle for using her maple rolling pin.

Foil to keep the edges from burning. I find this works better than the aluminum guard that I bought. The foil gives better coverage. It can be reused multiple times, and I do.

I bake 425 X 15 min then turn the oven down to 375 for 40 minutes. The recipe calls for 425 the entire time, but in my oven that's too much.

The recipe came from my mother's cousin, Pearl's Betty Crocker cookbook, 1969, but I made enough changes that maybe it's my own. I decreased the sugar as noted, added the Vanilla, and decreased the nutmeg because the higher amount in the original recipe gave me heartburn. I might eliminate it altogether. I also changed the butter to olive oil, as noted, and used the olive oil crust.

Today I actually made a rhubarb pie - no photos today, but photos and recipe are here (page down, also not in correct order) except that I used the olive oil crust and forgot the oil (butter). We'll see if that makes a difference. With oil in the crust, it may not. I also left out the lemon juice - forgot to buy some. I also found an error in the recipe - didn't say how much rhubarb - so I corrected it. Wow! Home grown Rhubarb pie and it's not even March yet! It was redder than last time, probably due to the young stems.

Looking at the older photos, the sauce in the pie looks watery. That's because it was sliced when hot. It gels when cool. We like eating ours cool anyway, the flavors seem to blend together better.

Some bakers use tapioca starch in pies. I keep forgetting to buy some. Tapioca starch apparently makes a better gel in the pie filling.

Garden Log 2/18/2010

Amazingly warm February. Taking advantage of it, but always with the knowledge that this is way too early and we may yet get freezes and frosts, even severe ones.

The half barrels seem like a great idea. The radishes and mesclun have already sprouted. I tried to plant them thinly, so I would not have to thin them out too much. I did remove a few, so they are about 1 inch apart. Counting, this leaves about 100 plants per barrel, plenty for some early vegetables or greens.

I planted a 3rd barrel. Under the plastic, the temperature was 74 degrees F. In contrast, my remote thermometer gives 53 F in the shade.
I uncovered the radish seedlings, at least for the day, to give them air and reduce risk for fungal disease. I gave them some fish emulsion.

The new barrel was planted with spinach, an Asian Radish called "Rabano" icicle, some 5-year old seeds for Chinese Parsley, interplanted with seeds for Evergreen White Bunching onion in case the Chinese Parsley doesnt grow. Finally, a Lettuce Bon Vivant Blend, multiple colors and shapes of lettuce.

In the front yard bed that had last years' tomatoes, I planted a small patch of Sugar Snap Peas. Assuming they germinate in a couple of weeks, then I'll add a trellace for them.

Ning set up these raised beds for tomatoes and other summer plants. They'll need to be topped off with some bedding soil.

The rose bed, with a little fence to keep nosey dogs out. The fence is more of a suggestion than a barrier.

Barrel with plastic cover, in the sun.

Radishes and other brassicas are sprouting nicely.

Peaches are blooming already. I'm almost thinking 'bummer' because of the risk for frost damage. It is what it is. If a frost is predicted, I'll look for some blankets to cover the peaches and apricots.

And finally, I also bought a bundle of Asparagus roots at Fred Meyer. This was an impulse - given past failures, I thought I would give up this year. It's likely that about a half dozen plants will come up form last year and, if so, that's finally a start at an asparagus bed. This bundle contained 7 roots. I had more success last year by planting them in pots, then into the bed afgter they were a foot tall. I did the same today, planting 6 into pots, but the last and smalles one was planted directly in the bed. We'll see what happens. If I get just one edible spear this year, I'll feel a little like I've made progress.

Garden Log

No photos today.

Yesterday, I noted pinkness through the plastic on the peach trees, so I unbound and uncovered them. There are a few blossoms already open. Cool+stress. Cool because so early, stress because of chances for frost. Frost can kill a blooming tree. We'll see - not much to do about it but watch the predicitons and cover if frost is predicted.

Radish and brassica mesclun seeds in barrels are sprouting. Little rows are visible. OK if these get frosted, and anyway they'll be easy to cover.

Indoor seeds, the carrots sporuted, a few more Red Delicious. Counts to be posted later.