CC's Fruits, Veggies & Food 2023

[Crealcritter]

This bartlet pear trunk sucker needs to come off. But let's give it an air-layer attempt instead. If it takes I get a new bartlet pear tree. If it fails the trunk sucker needed to come off anyways.
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Next remove the bark all the way around. Just run pocket knife around the branch to cut through the bark. You'll want about an inch gap.
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Next scrape the cambian (green) layer off all the way around with the pocket knife.
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Then give it a good coat of clonex rooting hormone gel. Make sure it get a good coating on the upper remaining bark, this is where the roots form (from the bark, not the raw wood). I coat the raw wood and the upper bark both.
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Now pack a rooting ball with damp soil, I use regular ole cheap top soil from rural king. I found fancy expensive soils are not all that for trees. No need to spring for expensive or special soil/moss. Save the good compost for veggies
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Now clip the rooting ball over the whole mess. Ensure the wound is not sticking out of the bottom or the gel on the top is not exposed.
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Finally wrap the rooting ball well with aluminum foil.
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I'll know soon if this is a take of not. If it's a take the branch will leaf out and perhaps flower, If not, it will die. If it leafs out, in a few months it'll form enough roots to pot. It'll be a nice multi branch sapling to prune to shape if it does take
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Jesus is Lord and Christ

Quoting myself

Bartlet pear trunk sucker lives, all of its branches are budding. Bartlet is one of only a few "true" fruit trees. Meaning the Bartlet pear rootstock makes a standard sized tree and bears Bartlet pears. So if you want a standard size (large) pear tree you could graft another variety onto a bartlet rootstock. Or if you want a standard sized bartlet pear tree. Then just plant a bartlet rootstock. Pears are my favorite fruit, so I welcome another pear tree.

I'll maybe water the top of the rooting ball this weekend. I may or may not open the rooting ball to have a looksee under the hood. Probably best to not peek, just yet though. See the leaf buds starting to break? It's feeding off the soil in the rooting ball

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[Crealcritter]

Well word travels fast in the country. I have several in the community asking for grafted fruit trees next year. I enjoyed grafting with my daughter in law, so not really work to me.

I haven't quite committed to "orders" just yet. I need more folks wanting sapling fruit trees first to justify bundles of 50 bulk root stocks at a reduced pricing that I can pass along. I'm thinking of growing my own rootstocks starting next year.

People who come by are amazed when I show them the growing grafts. And say, you know I would like a couple of this and that can you graft them? My answer is the same... With Almighty's help, I will try my imperfect best.

It amazes me how many people remember the variety of their grandparents fruit trees and want the same varieties growing on their property. These are varieties they can't purchase at the grocery store.

Graft a heirloom fruit tree, share the love of Jesus . My wife tells me, this is what Johnny Appleseed did.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[ducks4you]

I read somewhere that pears are planted in YOUR yard for your grandkids!
Don't really agree! My barlett pear is less than 10yo and I got 50 pears from it in 2022.
It doesn't have nearly the trunk width of yours.
I did save it from fire blight a few years back.

 

[Crealcritter]

I read somewhere that pears are planted in YOUR yard for your grandkids!
Don't really agree! My barlett pear is less than 10yo and I got 50 pears from it in 2022.
It doesn't have nearly the trunk width of yours.
I did save it from fire blight a few years back.

Yep... Granddaughters, will realize the new orchard at it's peak. But I suspect in a few years my wife, daughter in law and granddaughters will have plenty to can and preserve from new trees I've been putting in.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[Crealcritter]

The sun is setting which means another day is drawing to a close. Just like that, gone is another day. Thankful "Wacky Wednesday" only comes once a week.

We had a very strong storm roll through from the south today. Sent me into the basement with our dogs. My wife was 20 miles away in town, when it rolled trough Neighbor lost some trees but they are ok, that's what's important. Storm south wind bent out flagpole again. I just straighted it with the tractor from a storm last week, now bent again today.

Ole Glory now flying to the south, due to northern winds. It's been flying for several years with no issues. Then bent flagpole twice in two weeks. I'm thinking it's time for a new better flagpole. But thankful Ole Glory is still flying, even with a bent pole, worn and torn

Any suggestions on good flag poles?

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[Alasgun]

I been eyeballing the light poles along the highway, every now and then i’ll see one in the ditch, damaged by the wind or some hapless driver. At 30 ft long it would be just a we bit more than i’d want to strap on the roof of the truck to drive home at 2:30 Am while no one was looking

Id never actually steal one but i’d sure like to have one. 8 inch diameter base 4 inch at the top, perfect for in my yard.

 

[Crealcritter]

Today I sowed flats of totally new to me.

1 72 cell flat Giant thornless black berries. Seed resembled onion seeds maybe a tad smaller. Package said 200 seeds more like 400 seeds. We'll see what becomes of them.

1 72 cell flat of rhubarb (Victoria) packages said 25 seeds each. Between the two packages there were exactly 72 seeds. Seeds are big, easy to handle. Germination 7 - 10 days, we'll see, I expect skips.

1 package each northern and southern highbush blue berry. I sowed these into 36 small peat pots.
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I folded a piece of heavy paper, gently without sneezing tilted the paper and tapped it over each pot. Ha... probably got like 25 seeds in each pot. Instructions say some will germinate in 4 weeks, but may take upto several months. I put some warm water in the tray and put the clear lid on it. hopefully that will make some quick humidity. Maybe you can see the seeds they are little tiny light brown specks... Honest Seed Company said 200+ seeds per package. Yep they are honest
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Jesus is Lord and Christ

Quoting myself again it's been 25 days. Honest Seed Company instructions said some will germinate in 4 weeks but may take upto several months. Yep 25 days is close enough to 4 weeks for me. I still say honest seed company is honest.

Little baby blueberry popping up

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[Crealcritter]

I been eyeballing the light poles along the highway, every now and then i’ll see one in the ditch, damaged by the wind or some hapless driver. At 30 ft long it would be just a we bit more than i’d want to strap on the roof of the truck to drive home at 2:30 Am while no one was looking

Id never actually steal one but i’d sure like to have one. 8 inch diameter base 4 inch at the top, perfect for in my yard.

I have 2 30 foot light poles the electric company asked if I wanted them and dropped them off. But I'm afraid shipping to Alaska would be very expensive

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[Crealcritter]

3 week since grafting pics. We got a good amount of rain yesterday, I need to dump water out of the kiddie pools.

Thank You Amighty

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[Blue-Jay]

I love your TP idea! I am definitely going to use that trick next time I plant carrots. Always a struggle for me with those teeny seeds, and I really don't enjoy thinning.

Another thing I thought about with carrots is to buy pelleted carrot seed. Although more expensive they are large enough to handle and space out as you go down your row planting the seed. Might be cheaper too in the long run. I also don't like thinning.