Returning after the second surgery

 Greetings all!

My second procedure seems to be a success and I'm getting back out to the trees more regularly. Some observations:


Pots versus bags for growing out?

This year I was curious which would end up better. So I ended up with mostly 3 gallon pots and bags. After watching them grow; it appears the pots have taller and healthy trees. 

I find the PVC bags a bit annoying with leaning over and making the soil uneven or making leaning trees. And sometimes the folded over edges collapse under watering.


It is also time to try some chip budding.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

First outing with inexpensive foreign grafting tool with omega head

  Have to admit I was hopeful and anxious about how this blade/tool combination worked. Sure you would get a strong graft. But the cambium layer? How would they line up?  Well interestingly enough I noticed even if a scion/root stock mismatched; you can eyeball the cutter to make a great line up. So anyway I felt it would be sacrilegious to not do Blairmont on the first graft. And soon it was sitting in the field in a pot. I also grafted P.1 on M111 and Kaido on M111. Both have resistance M111 does not have. And I felt M111 would bring good vegetative growth for cuttings. Lastly I planted mother trees of G.214, M111 and P.2. Roots on root stocks? All looked good. G.214 had plenty of feathery roots. Can't do a lot more today. Have to get potting soil. And must take the tiller to break the compost pile up. A nearby farm has tested and graded compost soil with no added nitrogen. For a great price by the bucket{about 12 50 pound bags} Also have to settle on my feed bags and how to best
Read more

So soil is here

 Or more exactly Compost. Seems like a lot of bio-char in this. Very dry but full of organic matter. Enough structure I should be able to avoid mixing in my woody composed mulch. But it is definitely getting some weathered manure.  Been experimenting with using feed bags. Ended up cutting them into sheets. Then halving them again to use as you see burlap bags used on saplings. Seem to get a pint and a half in the middle. Add the graft. Make sure the roots are centered. Then another pint and a half on top. Burying the roots. Fold up the tips. Zip tie bag around the graft. Then poke drainage holes and let them soak in a tote. I really did not like this. But today; some of the grafts in bags are taking off.  This means I will have to keep putting them in and out of a tote though.  I doubt this will be my go to method. But useful to park grafts to grow a while until suitable pots emerge. I fear to much soil will leech out this way long term.  Very glad the scions I sent to UGA Botanical Ga
Read more
Image
 Welcome to the Blog!   Looks like a busy season ahead. So many wonderful people in the fruit growing community. Lots of valuable groups where folks willingly share their well learned advice. From Vendors, Universities and our own USDA. You can find lots of information and help. Especially your local County Agents. Lastly to my dear wife and family tolerating my projects. One of the things that inspired me was the Blairmont Apple developed by the USDA; with a lot of thought and effort. But as Apples go; it's reception was lackluster and today it is more of a curiosity.  This is ashamed as the Apple has many good traits. Late bloom misses frost. It is relatively scab free. Yields sizable 80mm or better fruit on average. Typically ripening is around mid-August. The USDA said three weeks ahead of "Delicious". In orchards observed, no occurrence of fire blight or powdery mildew, bitter or black rots. Flavor is mildly sweet with a little bit of tang. With fruity and vinous aro
Read more