What did you do in your orchard today?

[CrealCritter]

Anyone got peach blooms yet? Our planted trees are just starting bud swell.

This lovell peach rootstock is the furthest along compared to the 14 others, with regards to breaking dormancy. It's looking like I'll be grafting peaches next week.

Grafting is both fun and amazing at the same time, to me.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

I'm going to try the following organic spray schedule for apples and pears this season. See how it does, I had very few problems last season following a similar self created organic spray schedule. This one looks pretty good to me.

Stage	Spray
Dormant	Dormant oil for scale and overwintering eggs of aphids and mites, control of some diseases
Silver Tip	Copper for fire blight
Green Tip	Sulfur (must be three or more weeks from dormant oil) for disease prevention; insecticidal soap or neem oil for aphids and mites (if a problem)
Pink Bud	Sulfur spray (not lime sulfur) for disease prevention; neem oil for aphids (if a problem); Bt or spinosad for pest caterpillars (do not mix with sulfur spray; apply separately)
First Bloom	Do not use other insecticides at this time to avoid harm to beneficial pollinators such as bees
Petal Fall	Repeat sulfur and Bt or spinosad and again 7-10 days later, if needed, or begin kaolin clay sprays for insect pest control
Fruit Set & Throughout Summer	Starting at this stage spray sulfur spray or potassium bicarbonate every 7-14 days when signs of disease are observed, stop 30 days before expected harvest; spray pyrethrum, spinosad, insecticidal soap, or neem when any insect pests are observed on the same schedule

Source ISU https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/spray-schedule-home-apple-trees

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

Planted 3 pear trees I bought at greatly reduced price, late season last year and baby sat after I potted them.

Apples and pears are showing silver tip so I sprayed them with copper fungicide. Also stones are either breaking bud or bud swell, so I sprayed them also.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

Tank and I grafted reliance and red haven peaches on to lovell peach rootstock stocks this evening. It wore the pup out chewing up all those rootstock tops.

Before - Lovell peach rootstock stocks broke dormancy while inside.

Soaking in water, until treecoat dries, then I'll pot them in coffee cans.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

Tank and I potted peach tree grafts. You know tearing up potting soil bags is hard work! It's looking like another bath is in order for pup.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

Peach Popcorn - Spring has arrived

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

The first of the peach grafts from 6 days ago are breaking bud. I’ll know in the next week or so, how many took. One thing I learned about peaches is to keep the roots extra moist until the grafts take, then water as usually. I still dont know why I didnt start grafting decades ago, I find it rewarding and fun.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

5 of 12 (not 7 of 9 @flowerbug no curls) of tank and me peach grafts have took so far, that's a little less than 42%. I'll have a good count next Thursday, it'll be two weeks then. If they don't take by then tank.and I will regraft the root stocks. I moved the takers outside in a kiddie pool to babysit.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[DIYDogGirl]

Weed lol!

 

[murphysranch]

I started in on my fruit tree trimming. They are all small but the water shoots are way tall. Luckily they are young enough that I can bend them down to get some height off them. I can't use a step stool cus it sinks in the mud.