The garden is waking up, and blossoms are appearing on the fruit trees! A later season than years previous, but we’ll see what nature brings. As promised, here’s what we’ve plants this year from Whiffletree Farms:
Apples;-Ambrosia, Frostbite, Akane.
Blueberry;- Arlen, Chippewa, Duke, Nelson, Reka, Top Hat.
Never be afraid to prune if a plant grows to big for its space. Our 1.5m x 1.5m Coffea had grown really big!
Not too much sun to start with.
One Blueberry the Rabbits did not get.
Only 2 left.
Rhubarb means Spring.
Roots already running around the pot soon will need trellis.
Second pair of leaves this week. Manzanillo Olive.
Started removing Rabbit guards and pruning.
This Italian is breaking out at every leaf node.
Time to wash of the dust of winter.
Don’t be afraid to cut back plants that have out grown their space, or you’d like to encourage to bush out. Even our large coffea plant gets this treatment!
With this continued ‘early fall’ weather, a lot of plants are struggling to stay dormant. The hardier plants suffered the most from the sharp frost a few weeks ago, with some varieties showing signs of tip die-back already. Hopefully this warm weather does not last so the garden can rest for a few months.
But not all is lost, this is where your ‘fruiting house plants’ step forward. This week we have started to harvest Guava, Lemons, Grapefruit, Pummelo and Oranges. Most of these plants are only in their third year, so many harvests yet to come.
We have taken this time of slow down in garden work to reap the benefit of summer. Yes, it time to make Jams and Jellies from the fruits that we were not able to eat during the summer. First batch included; Strawberry, Blueberry (fruit) and Grape (Juice for sweetener), Blackberry Jelly and Marmalade (Calamondin).
Not everything needs to be processed, frozen Strawberries, Melon, Raspberries and Blueberries we put straight into home made Yogourt, makes a great breakfast of desert.
Well into picking showing 3rd truss up, var Cobra.
Cucumber var Carmen getting back into the game.
Remains of Harvested Broccoli. Family and neighbours filled up, plus 20lbs into the freezer.
Quince looking good.
Socked fruit var Pear Luscious. Keeping unwanted visitors away!!.
Socked fruit var Apple Roxberry Russet.
Wild rose hedge, lots of rose hips for juicing this season.
S.East view
Asian Pear Mishirasu
New Garden area has:- Pumpkin HSC151 Edible seeded, background Celebration Squash and Yacon (both types).
All Haskap berries harvested, yielded 6 litres of berries, giving 4.5 liters juice. Vigorous growth on Plums and Apples.
New Blueberry Arlen.
An encouraging start.
Over the previous 2 weeks some of the harvest would be; Ananas, Asparagus, Brocolli (Bay Meadows, Emerald Crown, Emerald Pride & Emerald Jewel.), Citrus (Meyer & Eureka lemon, Moro Blood Orange), Haskap (Aurora, Borealis, Berry Blue & Tundra), Lettuce (Skyphos & P173N), Radish (var Cherriette & French Breakfast), Rhubarb, Strawberry (var Fresca), Tomato (Defiant, Clarance, Cobra, Black Cherry, Tomassio and Sub Arctic Maxi), Onion, Leek, Tomatoes, and Potatoes!
Peas are growing well. The beans and celery are suffering and in need of rain. This area has seen none for past 2 weeks. Only a 1cm fall, then 2 weeks of nothing, then back to again 1cm. In the meantime plenty of windy 24’c plus days drying everything out. Aphids showing themselves throughout the garden, followed very closely by Ladybugs, their eggs and larvae. Natures Balance!!