Can you find all eight fruit trees in this photo?We have eleven fruit tress on our shared property. But only two of them are really bearing right now. I do have another that is trying, but not enough to protect it from the squirrels and groundhogs, so the fruit probably won't last long. In the above photo you can see the two peach trees. The one on the left is only two years old. But the one on the right is five. It has given us fruit for two years and has a lot of baby fruit on the tree.
Crowded peachesAbout this time I thin out the peaches. Usually I do it a bit earlier, but I've been busy. So some of the little peaches have dropped off the tree. I try to get all the little fruit up and into the compost. And any fruit that drops later. I've found it helps to keep the brown rot down. The first year I had lots of trouble with it, but if I keep it all clean I'll only lose a few peaches. Nothing worth worrying about. I don't spray the tree, so cleanliness is everything.
I thin to about 8" along a branch. But I'm not very even about it. Some times the peaches are right next to one another. Some times far apart. I like to pick the biggest and most flawless peaches to keep. Last year I had to thin out hundreds and hundreds of peaches. This year the chore was easier. The winter was harder and there were a lot of gaps on the branches. I'd be shocked if I didn't take off a couple hundred though. This Redhaven peach loves to produce fruit. I however like fruit that is bigger than a golf ball, so I thin.
My apple tree is not nearly so lovely. And it doesn't produce quite as much. But it did set a lot of apples this year. I thinned it out earlier on. The squirrels however were really enjoying my apples. Last year they waited until the apples were much larger. I thought I wouldn't have to net until July. The peach tree I can net myself since it is shorter than I am. The apple tree however is about 8' tall. I got my husband and two of my townhouse mates out to help. We put up step ladders on either side. So two people were up on top trying to lift it over while two people were down at the bottom unsnagging it and pulling it down. It was quite a production. Netting gets stuck on everything. And note to self - don't wear buttons again while netting the trees.
Energy bars, sandwich buns, and breakfast muffinsAnd having nothing at all to do with my fruit trees, I decided I'd better get the baking done as the weather was really warming up. Instead of my strategy of baking here and there as I need it, I looked at what I needed for the next several days and baked it all at once so I wouldn't have to heat the house up so much. I did it early in the morning too as it was still cool.
Thanks for mentioning brown rot; it gave me something to look up for diagnosing the problem with my nectarine tree. I think that's it! I'm halfway thinking about turning the tree into firewood.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised that a peach tree of that size produces hundreds of fruit. In my ignorance I would have guessed about 50 all told!
ReplyDeleteLast year the tree produced more than 60 pounds. That was more than 100 fruit. Though it tries to set way more. I'd get such itty bitty fruit if I let them all go. Admittedly a lot of them would fall off on their own, but not enough. It really wants to reproduce.
DeleteI am SO impressed with the amount of fruit (especially) and veggies you get in such a small space. I didnt' realize your rock wall was across from your front door. I was turned around :)
ReplyDeleteYes I see the rock wall whenever I go down my front steps. It is technically not my land but land of the very narrow private road which you see in the photo. But I'm responsible for it, and can do whatever I like with it, so I choose to grow fruit.
DeleteYour fruit trees are fabulous. I would love a peach tree but they wouldn't grow out doors here so it would have to be grown in a greenhouse. Maybe next year if I upgrade to a proper greenhouse.
ReplyDeleteIncredible amount from your fruit trees! I planted three plum trees two (three?) years ago and they have all died. No idea what I'm doing quite honestly so no surprise. Before I decide on more, I'll keep track of what you are doing - obviously it's working!
ReplyDeleteHi Daphne, I am glad that your fruit trees are bearing well this year. I could not find all your trees in the picture! Do not wear buttons when putting netting on made me smile! Do you have the recipe for your breakfast muffins posted anywhere? I imagine they are healthy? I am trying to make some muffins so that I can have a change from cereal so looking for yummy recipes that are still somewhat healthy. Nancy
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I were just netting the cherry tree last week, which is also about 8' tall - what a pain! It definitely would have helped to have a few more hands.
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