What did you do in your orchard today?

[CrealCritter]

not sure 3 scraggily apple trees counts but that's all I got
Today I looked at the apple trees. then looked at them some more. than I decided I was done tending to them for the day

Even one apple tree counts.

The mazzard cherry rootstocks I brought inside a couple weeks ago are starting to green tip. I'll graft two or three utah giant cherry scions. I still have to plan out the row to know how many. But this row will have more sweet cherries as pollinating partners to the first row. The rest will be pie cherries which are self pollinating.

Also Saturday they are saying temperatures in the mid 20's during the day.To me that means scion harvesting. I wait until the coldest day in February to harvest scions. It most always is sometime mid February (zone 7a)

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

The peach seedlings I brought inside are starting to breaking bud. I need to let the leaves get about 1~2cm (3/8" to 3/4") long before I graft them. Still have a ways to go...

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

I brougt in some root stocks a few weeks ago to get them to break bud. I cleft grafted them last night.

Cherry
Utah Giant onto mazard.
Surecrop onto mazzard.

Aprocoit
Hoyt Montrose onto seedling peach
Robada on to seeling peach
2 Harcot onto seedling peaches.

The two taller ones are bing and stella I grafted last year. I was going to re-graft them with another variety but I figured up my next cherry row and I don't need the extra roots stocks, so I'll give the to my oldest son.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

Utah giant sweet cherry I grafted Saturday, looks like it has took already. I'm suspicious, 4 days is quick for a hardwood graft to callouse. I suppose it could happen . Might be hard to see underneath the parafilm, but there is definitely green growing out of the top of the two lower buds.

Anyways this will be my first free cherry tree. I potted mazzard cherry root cuttings last spring and one grew into about a three foot tree, just right for grafting. My friend sent me utah giant scions, so free is free.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[LaurenRitz]

As of yesterday I have two new grape seedlings. Others are in the refrigerator stratifying.

I am thinking I may turn my original greenhouse into a nursery. Mice are a problem but rabbits can't get in. Most of my seedlings are being scalped by rabbits. They eat all the new growth that they can reach.

 

[CrealCritter]

1 week apricot and cherry grafts. Looks like I've got bud swell or breaks on all the grafts. This is my third year grafting, it's like anything else, the more you practice the better you become.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[murphysranch]

I finally sprayed all my trees. Sorta.

I found two bottles with spray handles in my stash. They all had estate sale prices on them. So I squirted away. Not thorough, but I did empty two larger bottles of stuff, so that I have more room to see and know what I already have.

It'll do.

 

[Mini Horses]

And because it was auction bought, most likely less expensive.

 

[CrealCritter]

I finally sprayed all my trees. Sorta.

I found two bottles with spray handles in my stash. They all had estate sale prices on them. So I squirted away. Not thorough, but I did empty two larger bottles of stuff, so that I have more room to see and know what I already have.

It'll do.

I did pretty well with organics last year, dispite cicada invasion. I have some specifics, that need to be addressed with non organics, mainly cedar apple rust and brown rot.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

Every year I kind of scout around the farm to see what pops up. I found a new mulberry tree and it's mulberries were exceptionally large and flavorful. I have no idea what kind of mulberry it is. But I decided to move it today.

I have a lot of different kinds of mullberries growing wild around here. Most of them are small and not very flavorful. I let them grow if they are not in the way for wild birds to eat.

FB, tank and I set out to move the exceptionally large and flavorful mulberry tree today. I took my favorite shovel and ran it around the tree cutting what roots it would reach. I sharpened it yesterday when I put a new handle on it.

We pulled it out with a ratchet strap and farm truck. It had 3 trunks, we loaded it in the back of farm truck.

After getting it out of the ground. I decided to hose off the rootball, with hopes of being able to split it. Here's what the roots looked like after hosing off.

I split the tree with a sawsall in to three trees.

Then at FB's choosing and because she does the mowing. I planted the two larger trees in close proximity to known male mulberries for pollination. The third one I potted in a #5 nursery pot. Because it didnt have many roots and will need some nursing. I might add the soil is just right for planting. Not too soggy and not to dry.

We'll see what becomes of them this year. They need a good pruning to train for shape, but I have a lot of time to do that after they break dormancy.

Jesus is Lord and Christ