Grafted Fruit Trees in my backyard

Stella Cherry

I started my first tree grafting project, and have yet to actually label the newly grafted branches. I know, major mistake. So before I forget, I grafted two other types of cherry onto my sweet Van Cherry Tree, the two grafts are Stella Cherry and Sam Sweet Cherry. Sam Sweet Cherry is a good pollinator for Rainer cherry. Stella cherry does not need a pollinator. I know that growing cherry trees as espalier, and expecting fruit, is harder than apple trees. They have to be grown as a fan instead of cordon style. Right now, I have two four cherry branches growing on the cords, this should keep their growth slow. This will give me time to figure out how many other types of cherry I will graft onto the tree.

Cherries are divided into groups: Sweet and Pie (pie are also called tart cherries).  My two grafted cherries are SWEET. I think the main

Van Cherries

dark cherry tree is also SWEET. This means, next year I should graft some tart and pie cherries onto the trees. Tart cherries bloom too late in the season to pollinate the others, this is okay because if I graft them, then I can get early and late season cherries.

Sam Cherries

Training cherry branches to grow along a cordon is more difficult than training apples. The branches are less pliable, so it is a good thing I am doing it now instead of later. Cherries grow on new growth wood only, which is why they must be grown as a fan. I am still training the bottom four branches to grow in a straight line on the fence, but later on I will have to allow the branches to grow into more of a fan. The important thing is that grafting different kinds of cherry allows for efficient pollination, and a good crop year after year. So next year, I need to graft two tart cherry branches onto the tree. This way, I will have a total of five different varieties of cherries growing on two trees.




I have two apple trees, one is a Red Delicious Apple and the other is a semi dwarf Gala Apple. The Gala Apple tree has nothing grafted onto it.

Gala Apples

On the Red Delicious apple tree I grafted a golden delicious apple branch. (lets hope it takes) If the graft survives, then next year I will try to grow a Granny Smith Graft on the same branch. Then I will grow all three (yellow) (red) and (green) apples as cordons up the fence. If it works, it will look pretty cool!

In the Raintree Nursery Catalog I read about a man, Sam Van Aken who grafted varieties of plums,peaches, nectarines, cherries and almonds onto one tree. He starts with a hardy root stalk, with a Shiro Japanese plum tree. Plums are grafted on the bottom of the tree, then apricots, while peaches are up on top.  I would love to take on a project like that, but I am working only with espalier trees.

Rainer Cherry Tree
Wine Grapes
Peach Tree (order November - April)

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Calla Lily Aethiopica Large White

I learned about this flower from watching Around the World in 80 gardens, with Monte Don. While in South Africa, he found some beautiful white lilies growing on the side of the road. Don said that people in the UK pay an arm and a leg for these flowers. Upon further research, I found that they are also a common wedding flower. I think the would look beautiful in my front yard.

My gardening philosophy very French - start with the right structure. This means decided how to hedge the garden, and how big will the hedges be. I am going to have a simple straight small boxwood hedge along the property. I like hedges to the simple, full and perfectly straight.

After hedging is laid out, then one plants the ornamental which brings me to my second rule - less is more. Flowering plants are meant to be seen in groups, not as individuals.  When people put more than 5 varieties of flowers in their front yard, it will end up looking cluttered.

I plan on starting my new front yard with a hedge, and the South African white lily (which isn't cheap, but will come back year after year.)

Links:

http://www.callalilyshop.pacificcallas.com/callalilywhitelarge.htm

http://www.easytogrowbulbs.com/g-41-gloriosa-lily-planting-guide.aspx

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/calla.html

Nut Tree

Hello Everyone, it has been a long time since I posted on my gardening blog. A lot has changed, my husband and me purchased a new house, which means there will be many more gardening blogs coming up.

I am planting some espalier fruit trees in my backyard (and planted the apple tree just last this week), but what I would really like to do is plant some nut trees.

Nature Hills Nursery Hazel Nut Tree  http://www.naturehills.com/hazelnut
Nature Hills Nursery Pecan Tree http://www.naturehills.com/hardy-pecan
Arbor Day Chinese Chestnut Tree https://shop.arborday.org/product.aspx?zpid=818
Arbor Day American Hazel Nut https://shop.arborday.org/product.aspx?zpid=847
Starks Bro Lemon Tree http://www.starkbros.com/products/fruit-trees/citrus-trees/meyer-lemon
Starks Bro Olive Tree http://www.starkbros.com/products/fruit-trees/olive-trees/arbequina-olive
Starks Bro Plumb Daddy Assortment http://www.starkbros.com/products/fruit-trees/plum-trees/plum-dandy-assortment

My garden, June 7th 2013

French Radish

Last week I started some seedlings for my garden:

French Radish
Iceberg Lettuce
Asian Spinach
Okra

The French Radish are sprouting like mad. They will transplanted into the garden sooner than any of the other seedlings. For this blog, I am going to discuss how to grow and eat French Radish.

These radishes are oblong, with a white base fading into a pink cap. They can grow up to three inches in length. One blogger recommends planting them with beets because the Radishes are harvested in just a few weeks, while the beets take much longer. Apparently the roots do not spit open as much as other round radish roots. The French Breakfast radish was introduced in 1879, and was popular in the Parisian Farmer markets. From my experience, these babies are very easy to grow.

I have no idea why it is called Breakfast Radish, I would never eat one of these for breakfast. But, they do look great for a stir fry, hor d'eurve or side dish. There are many online recipes for glazed radish, and sauteed radish. I do not know what works, but when harvest time comes around I will share my recipes.

The sprouting garden

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Homemade Herb Basket

Thai Peppers

This is my first year planting at the community garden. I have already been making some mistakes and learning from them. (note to self: do not put out basil until June)

Anyway, I planted Thai Peppers. It is the key ingredient to Thai curry. This pepper is used extensively is all types of Asian cooking. They dry easily due to their thin skin. The chili grows to only 1.5 inches long, and .25 in diameter. Apparently, it packs some serious heat, and that heat intensifies when drying.  The plant grows low, but the chili grow pointing upward. One chili can easily season an entire batch of chili. Apparently the charm of these peppers is that they make great ornaments.

May 1st 2013 : Day at the garden

Yesterday was a pretty rough day. My two year old pushed my baby at the garden, caused a minor head wound which proceeded to gush blood. We had to call the medics. It was a horrible event.

Needless to say, they are NOT coming together with me to the garden again.

That being said, here is my garden update: