Looks like it's going to be a good year for fruits and nuts.
Peaches
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| Peach trees planted fall of 2009 |
My peach trees are loaded, one (pictured above) in particular. The branches are bending to the ground under the weight of the fruit. Impressive but not good management. I should picked off a bunch at an earlier stage. That would have meant less of a burden on the branches, and larger peaches. Last year all my peaches were loaded with worms. I'm hoping for better this year. They're almost ripe so we'll be harvesting these later this month.
Apples
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| Apple trees planted fall of 2009 |
This will be our first year to get a few apples! I planted two varieties, Gala and Fuji, and we'll get some of both.
Crabapples
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| Crabapple tree planted fall of 2010 |
I have one crabapple (our first) on my little crabapple tree! I planted it because my brother loves crabapple jelly. Also, I'm hoping to use these to make cider vinegar one of these days.
Blueberries
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| Surprise trying her hardest to get a taste of blueberry bush |
I have to say that
the blueberry corral has worked very well. Last year it was an ongoing battle with the goats to try and harvest any blueberries (
that tale here.)
This year will be a different story because the bush is loaded with unripe berries. Blueberries are ready to
harvest here in July.
Elderberries
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| 1st elder bushes were planted winter 2009. |
We planted our first elderberry bushes December 2009. I've added more every year since, with a goal to make an impressive hedge. This year we have more flowers than ever before, but experience has taught me that the birds love elderberries, even green ones. Maybe I should net them. Hmm.
Red Raspberries
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| Red raspberries, planted spring 2010 and 2011 |
I haven't done well with my red raspberry plants. For every three I plant I lose at least one, often two. It may be the spot I chose to plant them, up the hill from the elder bushes. The higher up the hill the more quickly the ground dries out. Watering more would have helped, but some things are difficult to get to. Above is the sum total of my very first raspberry harvest, two whole berries. (Hey, it's a start, right?)
Sand Cherries
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| Sand cherries, planted spring of 2011 |
Something unexpected has been our sand cherries. I planted these to make a pretty privacy hedge, not thinking a lot about the fruit, except that I try to only plant things that are edible or medicinal. The largest plants have produced these for me....
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| My very 1st bowlful of cherries |
Not enough to do much with and they're
pretty extremely tart. Still, they aren't as seedy as I expected for a native type cherry bush. One of these years they'll probably make an excellent batch of jelly.
Figs
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| Baby figs are beginning to grow. Mature trees were here when we got here. |
I discovered that we had fig trees while I was
clearing out overgrown brush our first summer here. Since then we've enjoyed a good harvest every year. My dad especially loves the canned ones and has put in his request for as many as I care to send. Fig harvest
will be in August.
Grapes
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| One vine, variety unknown, was here before we were |
One grapevine was here when we bought the place. I don't know when it was planted, but unfortunately it is now in all shade and doesn't do very well. The grapes will turn dark purple later in the summer and are seedy and very sour. The birds will get to them before I do. I should consider propagating a few of my own vines from this one, but we haven't decided yet where to put them.
We have
Muscadines as well, wild ones. I got a good harvest our first autumn, but none since, so I'm hoping it will be a good year for them. Some day I will plant some muscadine vines.
Rugosa Rosehips
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| Rugosa roses with hips beginning to ripen. Planted fall of 2010 |
I love my rugosa roses. Beautiful, single hot pink blooms and huge bright red hips. I'd like to have an impressive hedge of these too. I did transplant some volunteers, two of which look like they'll survive if they get plenty of water this summer.
I also promised some nuts on this tour, and here they are,
Almonds
Last year we got a small handful of almonds, but this year looks like we'll have a modest harvest. Almonds are Dan's favorite nuts, so I planted it just for him. I love them too, so it's a welcome addition to the yard. I bought an all-in-one because I read that Hall's Hardy, while indeed hardy and easier to crack, weren't as sweet. All-in-one is self pollinating (not sure about Hall's) and it's pale pink flowers in the spring are a delight to the eye.
Pecans
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| Pecan trees just finished blooming, so we'll have to see what makes |
Mature pecan trees were one of the bonuses when we bought the place. Last year was my best ever for pecans; not terms of quantity, but quality. This year? We'll have to wait and see. :)
Non-producers this year are the pears. Theses were planted the same time as the apples. Trees that are still small and young aren't producing yet either, my Stanley prune-plum, North Star cherry tree, and my two hazelnut trees. I also wasn't expecting much from the strawberries and wasn't disappointed. Last year's plants were swallowed up by wire grass. I transplanted the ones I could, and also planted some new. Unfortunately wire grass seems to love strawberries and it's found it's way into this new bed too. Some days I feel like I just can't win. On the other hand, looks like we've got a lot to be thankful for this year.
Muscadines (Vitis rotundifolia, subspecies Muscadinia) are wild grapes.
Two types are grown commercially in the United States, the European bunch grape (Vitis vinifera) and the American bunch grape (V. labrusca).
Dan may love his strawberry jam, but my best favorite is wild muscadine jelly. That's why I was delighted to find muscadines growing on the property when we first got here. I've been keeping an eye on their progress,and just the other day I discovered that they were purple, plump, and ready to pick. My only concern was whether or not I could find enough to make myself a batch of jelly!
Hopefully I can get these before the birds do. :)
..... is a hedge of Beauty Bush (Kolkwitzia amabilis) now liberated from sapling trees, vines, and other miscellaneous unwanteds.
The hedge edges the front yard, and also creates a visual privacy barrier from the road on that side of the house. The flowers are fragrant and the bees love them.
But I also discovered a domestic grape vine in what we're calling the pasture...
The poor thing is being supported by a metal stake with two tomato cages piled on top of one another. Even worse, it's in mostly shade. Still ....
... it's managing. I will have to research transplanting these and find a sunnier spot for it next summer.
.... daylilies in the overgrown field on the other side of the house. I need to transplant these too, before we fence it in for grazing.
Fig trees! Complete with baby figs! These need more sun too, to ripen. But by clearing out a number of small trees, vines, and shrubs that were trying to choke them out, I've been able to provide them with more of that.
And here's the view now .....
By going slowly I can be selective. I realize that much of it will want to grow back, since it's being cut down rather than pulled out by the roots. Still, it gives us a sense of the yard and the land. And if we can keep it mown around the house, we should be able to control it better.
