The smaller red apples are Jonared.
The small peaches are Charlotte, didn't do great this year but still, it's some fall peaches.
The golden apples are Porter. The large red/green apple is Sutton Beauty.
Dark blue, Stanley Plums.
Various Asian pears.
At the center, an Asia/American pear hybrid, "Maxie". Actually, not very good. Maybe I didn't let it ripen enough.
Saturday, September 23, 2017
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Prime Ark Freedom Blackberries 9.16.18
These are some of my first Prime-Ark Freedom blackberries. I'm very impressed with the size, juiciness, sweetness, and flavor. I have never seen such large blackberries.
Unfortunately, the deer like eating the plants. I'm building a better enclosure for them. I definitely want to see how they do next year.
Unfortunately, the deer like eating the plants. I'm building a better enclosure for them. I definitely want to see how they do next year.
Sunday, September 03, 2017
Sweet Treat Pluerry and Hollywood Plums. 9.3.17Plum
Plums as of 9.3.17 |
I didn't know what would happen with Sweet Treat. There isn't much info out there on pollinators. All I had blooming when Sweet Treat was in bloom, were Hollywood and Crimson Spire plums. Apparently that was enough. This is about year #4 for this tree, first substantial crop, a couple dozen plums.
Saturday, August 26, 2017
Updates. 8.26.17
Blueberry Pie. Mid Aug, 2017. |
I'll come back and add some text later, but here are photos from the past couple of weeks.
The blueberry harvest was great. The difference between this year and previous years, was bird netting. Made all the difference in the world.
I wondered if there would be sweet corn, due to the slow and irregular germination. Plus rabbits eating a lot of the plants. Now, there is a good harvest of sweet corn.
Sweet corn, beans, chilis. Mid Aug, 2017. |
Peppers are doing great in their cement block raised beds. They do have deer protection fencing.
Two of the chestnut trees that I planted late winter, put on 3 to 4 feet of new growth. The other one put on about 3 inches. I'll sort out the varieties later. They are well protected by deer fencing.
I wondered if I planted the onions too early. They did amazingly well. Huge onions. The biggest were Ailsa Craig. Growing from seeds, and planting early, definitely worked.
Sweet Corn, various planting times. Mid Aug, 2017. |
Russet Potato Harvest. Mid Aug, 2017. |
Chilis in cement block raised bed. Mid Aug, 2017. |
Chestnut tree, first year, mid Aug 2017. |
Chestnut tree, first year, mid Aug 2017. |
Ailsa Craig onions. mid Aug, 2017. |
Labels:
ailsa craig,
birds,
blueberries,
chestnut trees,
damn deer,
damn rabbits,
onions from seeds,
peppers,
Sweet Corn
Thursday, July 27, 2017
More photos. 7.29.17
Some nice flowers are blooming now. Now that the zinnias are larger, they seem less palatable for rabbits. Maybe the leaves are dryer and more tough in the summer. Even weedy flowers are nice when cut.
The Rudbeckias are second year now. I'm glad they survived another season.
I don't know that bigger is always better, but the current batch of onions is the biggest I've ever grown. The ones in the ground are even larger, but the tops have not fallen over yet, so I'm waiting to harvest them. The brown-wrapper onions are the hybrid "Patterson". The white ones, which are the largest and the biggest of those not yet ready, are Ailsa Craig.
The Rudbeckias are second year now. I'm glad they survived another season.
I don't know that bigger is always better, but the current batch of onions is the biggest I've ever grown. The ones in the ground are even larger, but the tops have not fallen over yet, so I'm waiting to harvest them. The brown-wrapper onions are the hybrid "Patterson". The white ones, which are the largest and the biggest of those not yet ready, are Ailsa Craig.
Monday, July 24, 2017
Raised bed changes. Planting Summer Seeds for Fall Crops. 7.24.17
I decided to make some changes in the raised bed kitchen garden, for easier gardening. I added another level of 2 X 6, so the bed is 6 inches higher, then added a 2 X 6 edge to each side to support me. I can lean or sit on that edge. This bed contained bearded irises that never did well. I moved them to a sink-or-swim out of the way border, where they will either grow, or not. That gave me a new bed to plant seeds that grow for fall kitchen crops.
I used old seeds, turnips, Chinese radish, Chinese cabbage, Daikon.
That was last week. They do need daily watering, but otherwise no special care. Some rows have germinated nicely. It's possible that some seeds were too old, and I intend to replant today.
I didn't label the rows. I think some of the Chinese cabbage did not germinate, and one of the two rows of turnips. Those seeds were 5 years old.
The current raised bed arrangement is 12 4 X 8 foot raised beds, 1 foot high, separated by mowed grass paths about 3 feet wide. Those paths are too narrow for a riding mower. The plan, which will develop as crops mature and are gone in the fall, is to replace the 2 middle rows with 1 middle row. That will make paths wide enough for riding mower, which really reduces maintenance. The sides will be higher, with edge as described for this bed. Most of the wood will be reused from either the old beds, or from a deck that I tore apart this Spring.
I used old seeds, turnips, Chinese radish, Chinese cabbage, Daikon.
That was last week. They do need daily watering, but otherwise no special care. Some rows have germinated nicely. It's possible that some seeds were too old, and I intend to replant today.
I didn't label the rows. I think some of the Chinese cabbage did not germinate, and one of the two rows of turnips. Those seeds were 5 years old.
The current raised bed arrangement is 12 4 X 8 foot raised beds, 1 foot high, separated by mowed grass paths about 3 feet wide. Those paths are too narrow for a riding mower. The plan, which will develop as crops mature and are gone in the fall, is to replace the 2 middle rows with 1 middle row. That will make paths wide enough for riding mower, which really reduces maintenance. The sides will be higher, with edge as described for this bed. Most of the wood will be reused from either the old beds, or from a deck that I tore apart this Spring.
Labels:
Chinese Cabbage,
Chinese Radish,
Daikon,
kitchen garden,
Raised Beds,
Summer sowing,
turnip
KItchen Garden and Home Orchard. 7.24.17
Red Norland and Yukon Gold Potatoes. 7.24.17 |
I had not watered the Methley plum tree, so the plums are smaller, sweeter, and more flavorful. Almost like moist candy. This tree is about 6 years old. When we bought the Battleground place, I moved it from the old yard, at about 1 year old at the time. This is the first year with more than a couple of fruits.
Methley Plums. 7.24.17 |
Illinois Everbearing Mulberry. 7.24.17 |
Illinois Everbearing Mulberries. 7.24.17 |
Red German Garlic. 7.24.17 |
I thought birds would get all of the mulberries this year, but yesterday the tree was loaded. We picked a big bowl of them.
I did not nurture the garlic as well this year. Less water and less fertilizer. The bulbs of most of the plants are smaller, but the Red German turned out nice.
Summer squashes coming on line now. Some great fritters!
Zucchinis and Summer Squashes. 7.24.17 |
Thursday, July 13, 2017
Kitchen Garden. Summer Harvest Begins. 7.13.17
I've been harvesting collar greens for a couple of weeks. Nicest plants that I have grown.
Started digging potatoes last week. Had some hash browns and likely potato salad tomorrow. Red Norland and Yukon Gold plants are turning brown, and getting some nice potatoes.
Some of the slicer onions are bending over. I've dug some of those for use fairly quickly. Tasty in all colors, red, white, yellow.
The absolute largest of the onions are the Ailsa Craig, that I started from seeds. Those are huge, but not falling over yet.
Based on my results this year, planting as early as possible is giving the largest onions, but even the later ones are sizing up. Just not as huge. Seedlings started indoors are as big or bigger than those started from sets or plants bought at the nursery.
Nice time of year in the kitchen garden.
Started digging potatoes last week. Had some hash browns and likely potato salad tomorrow. Red Norland and Yukon Gold plants are turning brown, and getting some nice potatoes.
Some of the slicer onions are bending over. I've dug some of those for use fairly quickly. Tasty in all colors, red, white, yellow.
The absolute largest of the onions are the Ailsa Craig, that I started from seeds. Those are huge, but not falling over yet.
Based on my results this year, planting as early as possible is giving the largest onions, but even the later ones are sizing up. Just not as huge. Seedlings started indoors are as big or bigger than those started from sets or plants bought at the nursery.
Nice time of year in the kitchen garden.
Labels:
collards,
onion,
onion seeds,
onion sets,
potatoes
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
Persimmon Progress. 7.10.17
Developing Yates American Persimmon. 7.10.17 |
Developing Nikita's Gift Hybrid Asian:American Persimmon. 7.10.17 |
Nikita's Gift and Saijo have a couple of dozen fruits each, fine for 5 year old trees.
Developing Saijo Persimmons. 7.10 17 |
I'm excited to see persimmons forming. I'm trying to decide if some need thinning, due to several fruits on the same twigs. They might do better if they are further apart.
I've tried tying some persimmon branches to guide them, but they are so brittle they break off. One of the Chocolate Persimmon grafts also did that. I had tied the little branch to another one to guide it, and the wind broke it. Fortunately, there is a second Chocolate persimmon graft that is OK.
Prairie Star Persimmon Sapling. 7.10.17 |
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