Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Bartlett Pears

I'm watching my pears trees,
 my mouth is watering but it is
 an act of patience.

Bartlett pears have to be taken off the tree and ripened in a cool place.  
The perfect time approaches.  Here in the Bothell/Woodinville area
it is sometime between the last week of Aug and the first week of Sept. 

People walk by my trees and ask why I'm not picking anything.
I have to tell them there is a time for each tree.  Apples in the fall and 
pears late summer.  They don't always believe me and will pick something
I hope they find it very sour indeed.  

So watch for loose stems when you lift up on a pear and if anything is falling
 now you might be too late 
so harvest that whole tree RIGHT NOW




 I'll be picking mine in a couple of days


Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Did you plant some seeds?

The last two weeks were warm!
We broke records for May.

After our classes did you remember how warmth 
cuts down on the time of a seed to sprout?

I planted my beans earlier than I usually do
It was warm and they won't be sitting in the cold wet ground

Beans won't sprout even at 50 degrees but give them
68 degrees and they will sprout in Eleven days

Give a bean seed 77 degrees and they sprout in eight days.

Can you see why I don't plant them in May usually?

Now is a choice time.  Plant like crazy.

Put a scoop of compost in the spot and plant a seed today!

It will rain this week-end and then warm up again.

Think I'll go put some cucumber seeds in!

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Getting you started on a new fruit tree


Now is the time!

Buy a couple of fruit trees and grow them
along a fence, a building, a wall. 
  It's not hard to do but MUST 
be started in a young tree.

It's not a big project
prepare the supports and 
Just do the follow up trimming and tying 
and you will have fruit in not too many years.



This is not a new way to grow fruit trees
In fact it is very old 
and these directions came out
of 
a very old sunset book. 

Apples trees usually are trimmed with only 5 main branches
so this is a logical use for apples.  
Consider plum, and pears also, though
any fruit tree can be trained this way.

You need to buy your tree in it's first or early second year in order
to start with a pliable tree.

Start with a sturdy support, all ready to go.  
You will not want to be building around the training plant.

Yes this takes 5 to 10 years to get smoothly trained but so 
do the big trees!

So with a couple of fruit trees, a couple of blue berry
plants and a few pots of veggies you have an
instant start to gardening.

Blue berries need another bush that blooms when it does,
Early with Early
Mid season with Mid season
Late with Late season.
There can be some cross over of seasons with success.

Pears need another pear tree to produce. 

Enjoy