Four O'clocks. 6.7.14

Four O'Clock "Marbles".  60 Days from Germinaation.  6.7.14

Four O'clock "Marvel of Peru".  60 Days from Germination.  6.7.14

These were planted early April.  Most seeds were germinated almost exactly 60 days ago.

The plants in large containers are doing best.  The temp in Vancouver is one or two degrees warmer then Battleground, and that small difference makes for much more rapid growth for some plants, such as these. 

They are getting 1/4 tsp miracle grow for tomatoes, in 2 gallons of water, with each watering.  

They seem to have nascent flower buds.  That would be nice.

14 year old Chusan Palm. 6.7.14

Trachycarpus fortunei.  14 years old.  Vancouver WA.  6.7.14

Trachycarpus fortunei.  14 years old.  Vancouver WA.  6.7.14

When we planted this tree, we thought it might not survive the winters here.  The coldest so far was last winter.  Coldest temp was 8F.   Didn't faze it.

Sometimes I trim the bottom leaves.  I don't like the trees with most of the leaves removes, so they look like a sick bird's tail.

This serves as a reference for the tree I planted recently at Battleground.  I like these trees a lot.

Chusan Palm is the same as Windmill Palm is the same as Chinese Windmill Palm.   It is one of the most cold hardy types of palm tree.

Fig Progress Report. 6.1.14

Fig trees

 The fig tree starts are doing better than I expected.

Only one is definitely dead - Atreano.

Two of the others have barely visible growth - Petite Negri and Champagne.

Brunswick has compact, strong appearing growth.  The stems are not elongating much.  That suggests limitation by nitrogen.  I don't want it to grow weak lush growth that will be susceptible to next winter's freezes, so I didn't give it any nitrogen boost.  I did snap of growth tips from branches that had 4 to 6 good leaves, to stimulate fig production.

Sal's is taller, but not much growth, compared to the newer starts south of the house.  I pruned it to a single trunk, and gave it, and the others in this row, a one time organic nitrogen boost.  I won't give more, for the same reason I'm not giving any to the Brunswick tree.

LSU Tiger has good,vigorous growth.  Smith and Carini also look pretty good.

LSU Tiger fig

 These are mulched with grass trimmings from the surrounding lawn.

The organic nitrogen boost is from the usual source.  I used approx 1:7 dilution, with 2 gallons sufficing for all of the trees.

Before I leave today I should give them some deer protection.

Smith Fig

Sal's Fig

Snapping growth tip from Brunswick Fig.

Bud Grafting Asian Plums. 5.31.14

Bud Grafting Book Illustration

Yesterday I cut some shoots from the Vancouver plum trees, to provide buds to graft onto the younger plum trees in Battleground.

Bud grafting needs to be done when the bark is loose, or "slipping" as stated in books.  If an incision is made in a fairly young stem, the bark lifts from the underlying tissue fairly easily.

I wanted to work quickly, so did not take photos of the process.  I have never done or seen this procedure, so it's a gamble.  That never stops me.

The illustration is an old book illustration.  It is long past copyright.

Shiro bud graft on unknown stock.

Red leaf plum bud graft on unknown stock.

 First, I made the T incision on the stock.  I chose branches that looked juicy and young, this year's growth or 1 year old.  I eased the bark off the underlying tissue, then placed it back while cutting the bud scion.

Then, I cut the leaves from the scion branches, leaving the amount shown.  That serves as handle.

I used a very sharp grafting knife, cutting through the young bark to make a shield with central bud, as in the illustration.  I peeled that off the donor branch.

The shield is slipped into the T incision, then wrapped with plastic grafting strips.

It sounds easier than it is, but I felt like most of these attempts had a chance to survive.

I noticed, the moist inside wood was white, but changed to brown in a few minutes.  I don't know if that's harmful, but I suspect it's not good.  I proceeded as quickly as possible.

This is early for budding.  If they take, it's possible they will start growing in a few weeks.

Shiro bud graft on Methley stock.

If these grow,  they will provide pollinating branches within each tree.  In addition, the unknown plum tree doesn't seem productive.  It might help to have pollinating branches on the tree.  These grafts could also be the start of converting the tree to proven varieties, such as shiro.

Budding now also gives me practice to try again later.

I also noted one of my pruning efforts earlier this year stimulated one very vigorous new growth, with easily sliced and manipulated bark.  That served as stock for two budding attempts.  If they take, ultimately they might replace a branch of the tree.

Red Portugal Chili Pepper. 5.31.14

 The first chili peppers from my seedlings.  This is Red Portugal.   I'm happy with the result.  The container is kept on the deck now in full sun.

Red Portugal Chili Pepper.  5.31.14

Rootcrops. Snowpeas. Kitchen Garden. 5.26.14

This is the standard Turnip variety.  And some Cincinnati Red radishes, and some White Icicle radishes.   

That's the season end for root crops.

After cleaning up the root crop bed, I planted some of the squash seedlings and bush cucumbers.

Then harvested snowpeas, and cleaned up the strawberry bed.

Snowpeas and 3 strawberries.

Cloudroom. 5.26.14

Cloudroom.  Almost done.  5.26.14

This is marketed as a "sunroom" but here in the maritime NW, the term "Rainroom" is more appropriate.  "Cloudroom" sounds better.  Not quite done - the tiles are just sitting there to be installed.  It's wonderful sitting here in the rain, listening to the rain fall on the glass, and the birds singing.  As I am now.

Cloudroom.  Almost done.  5.26.14

The plan is to extend the front border a little.  That's the reason for plastic covering some of the grass.  Removing sod is too hard.  The plastic takes longer, but will leave nice moist soil without grass or weeds, in 2 months.

Puttering. 5.25.14

Ning's wildflower meadow.  5.25.14

Redmond Linden growth.  5.25.14

 Puttering.

The first of Ning's wildflower meadow gardens is blooming with the first of its flowers.  Pretty nice.  There are a few bees - bumblebees and honeybees - harvesting nectar.

Redmond American Linden is growing nicely.  I gave it some organic nitrogen this winter.  I tried not to overdo it.  There are flower buds on this, but not on the Greenspire European Lindens, even though they are much bigger.  The Redmond Linden has much bigger leaves, compared to the Greenspire Lindens.  The flowers, for honey, were why I planted these.

Deer have not eaten any of the lindens.  I have protected the bark from rabbits and gnawing rodents, using hardware cloth.

Redmond Linden.  5.25.14

Sourwood new growth.  5.25.14

Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) has taken off and growing. I wondered.  The lower branches died during the hard freeze.  During Spring rainy season, the new growth developed what looks like the fireblight that appears on pears.  Now it's coming out of it and growing nicely.  Sourwood is not native here, and there aren't a lot of them.  So it's an experiment.

Tamara rose, grown from cutting.  Moved to Battleground in 2012.  Eaten by deer, and now surrounded by some sort of yellow flowering weed.  It's actually doing well.

Most of the top-killed fig trees are coming up from the roots.  I'm debating whether to give them some organic nitrogen.  I don't want them to grow to vigorously, and be winter killed next year.  I would like some decent growth.

I planted 2 new palms.  The first, Trachycarpus fortunei (Windmill palm), is a species I've had in my front yard in Vancouver for 15 years.  It's pretty hardy.  The label states hardy to 20 to 10F.  Last winter the tree in my yard survived 8F.    The second, Chamaerops humilis (European fan palm), is labeled as hardy to 6 degrees.  "Extremely slow grower".  This palm is more a bush, than a tree, with clusters of palms.  I read deer and rabbits don't eat them.  Battleground is a bit less gentle climate, compared to Vancouver.  If they don't survive, that's OK.  If they do survive, that's even better.  They will also provide something green to look at when the grass turns brown, and in the winter.

Sourwood new growth and some leaf damage.  5.25.14

I planted the Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash, and Scallop Squash, seedlings that I grew from seeds a couple of weeks ago.  There are some additional seedlings still to plant.

I mulched around the new apple trees, using newspaper and food package cardboard as the bottom layer - to kill grass - then covering with grass mowings deep enough that you can't see the bottom layer.  I cut fencing to complete the deer cages, but it started raining so I did not fasten in place. 

Smith fig regenerating from roots.  5.25.15

Trachycarpus fortunei planted 5.25.14 

Chamaerops humilis planted 5.25.14

Tamara rose amid irises and weeds

Sunroom nearing completion.  5.25.14

Update. Fruit trees. 5.24.14

Q-1-8 Peach

Jonared apple

 Some of the fruit trees, especially ones planted this winter.

Q-1-8 peach growing nicely. Deer didn't eat it.  No leaf curl.  I expected that - most likely stored inside as a bare root tree, and rains in late winter didn't inoculate it with leaf curl.  My speculation.

Jonared apple.  Growing nicely.  Today I mulched.  Tomorrow I should install a wider deer cage.  The new shoots have almost reached the openings in this cage.

3-graft dwarf apple.  Growing nicely.  Not as fast as Jonared.  I spread the branches for a wide base.

Sugar Cane Jujube.  I thought this was dead.  No sign of life, no buds, until last week.  Now growing  Li Jujube.  Also looked dead, now growing fast.  Jujubes seem to make a late start.

3-graft dwarf apple

Jujube Sugar Cane new growth.

Jujube Li new growth

Update. Tree and shrub propagation and grafting. 5.24.14

Asian pear graft.  Recovery from deer chewing.

Hamese Asian Pear Graft.

Euro Pear graft on Asian Pear

 Plant propagation and grafting efforts.  Many of them did well.  A few did not grow.

All of the pear grafts took.  One was chewed by deer but is recovering.  Some bloomed.  That resulted in a delay of growth, but ultimately they all grew.  That includes the 3 varieties of Asian pear, on an Asian pear tree. and 2 varieties of European pear on a different Asian pear tree.

Learnings -

1.  Don't leave a long tail on the whip.  The graft still takes, but the tail doesn't always callous onto the stock, leaving an appendage.

2.  Best to take scion wood that doesn't look like it will bloom.

Close-up Healing Whip and Tongue, Pear

Liberty Apple Graft on Honeycrisp

 All of the apple grafts also took.  The learnings were the same as for pear.

I should probably remove the liberty apple from the newly grafted scion from this spring, but it looks ok and I think I will leave it to see what happens.  The scion is growing rapidly despite also making an apple.

I unwrapped most of the rest today.  They have finished formation of callous, so no benefit to leaving them longer.  The wrapping did not strangle the new growth.  So this was a good time.

Of the grafted lilacs, it looks like only one of the approximately 6 grafts took.  I don't know why.  It might be timing, or lilacs might be more difficult to graft.  Or there may have been compatibility issues.

Still I am excited that one did take and is growing vigorously.

All three of the lilac offsets that I separated from mature bushes, grew.  One was eaten by deer or rabbits, but is recovering.

Laburnums, grown from cuttings late Winter 2013, are growing.  They were eaten by deer or rabbits, but are recovering.  I had to move them again, because of an easement issue.

Ning started pussy willows from cuttings.  He started a hedge.  These were just pencil thick, or thicker, and about 18 inches to 2 feet long, taken from a big pussy willow at the Vancouver place.  He simply pushed the cuttings into the moist ground, about half way, in Feb.  All are growing.  Willows are very easy.

I updated on plum cuttings already.  All approx 8 Hollywood plum cuttings struck.  None of the approx 8 Shiro plum cuttings struck.  About 1/2 of the approx 8 flowering quince cuttings struck, but they are not growing vigorously.  The forsythia cuttings are touch and go.  2 still seem alive.

Lilac Growth on Separated Offset

Shinseiki Asian Pear Graft

Laburnum from Cutting.  Year 2.

Pussy Willow from Cutting.  Year 1.

Jonagold dwarf apple graft.