You may remember the excitement when what we thought was our nectarine tree had flower buds last year. Well after actually harvesting fresh peaches last year from what turned out to be a peach tree. This year the excitement and anticipation is even greater!
What we now know to be our peach tree - Avalon Pride - has lots of flower buds.
Excuse the hand but it's the only way I could get the camera to focus on the buds. Once the flowers open we will have a few anxious weeks hoping the frost doesn't put paid to any idea of fruit. last year we covered the flowers with fleece on a night to give some protection.
I can just imagine the taste of the freshly picked peaches last year. This year if we are lucky to have more fruit at least we won't be waiting for the fruits to lose the fuzzy skin as we did when we thought it was a nectarine tree.
So what about the nectarine - Fantasia - you may remember that it had an extended stay in the back of the delivery van which caused concern but it appears not to have suffered from this and being in the greenhouse at the moment it is ahead of the peach and already has some open flowers.
Being in the greenhouse will have caused it to flower a little early. It may also mean that insects won't access the flowers so I am poised with a soft brush. Once the pollen seems to be running I'll give it my best imitation of a furry bee and hope that I am as successful a pollinator.
The apricot - Flavourcot - isn't showing any signs of flower buds but there are some tiny green shoots now forming on the bare branches so at least we know that it is alive. I'm not totally sure whether apricots flower before they develop leaves or whether they are as early as the other two.
Then there is our kiwi - Issai - which looked to be struggling at the end of last year. It had plenty of fruits but they didn't grow bigger than a grape. This year it seems off to a good start and hopefully now it is planted in ericaceous compost it should enjoy life more. So here's hoping for a mini kiwi or two to enjoy with our peaches, nectarines and apricots. I hope that saying that doesn't push our luck as if so we will be two very disappointed fruit lovers.
Fingers, toes and anything else that will crossed will be crossed for a while!
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Isn't it great to se buds coming on the fruit trees!!
ReplyDeleteI am going to purchase an Issai this year for myself too. I can't decided whether to plant it in the garden at home or on the allotment though...I think it will get better shelter at home than the wide open allotment...plus I'm not sure where would be best to plant it up there with I being a climber...any suggestions or tips??
It's early days for our Issai Tanya so I'm short on tips - it is fairly vigorous so we have just given it a temporary framework until we can set it up permanently somewhere. As I said ours is in a big pot of ericaeceous compost. It spent the winter in the greenhouse but whether this was absolutely necessary I don't know.
DeleteI'd keep it in the garden where it can get a bit of shelter and if necessary you can give the flowers a bit of protection if it flowers before the last frosts. You can drape a piece of fleece over it at night. The kiwis we have on the plot suffer badly from frost damage.
I decided I would get one of these as it is hardy as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius so maybe you don't need to overwinter it in the greenhouse. I think I have just picked the perfect spot in my mind for this...central so it will look pretty...against the fence so that I can build a framework..and on the north side so it will get plenty of sun...now I just need to purchase my Issai!!
DeleteWe can compare notes Tanya - hope we both get some fruit!
DeleteGood luck with them all!
ReplyDeleteThanks Damo - we'll be really disappointed if we don't at least get one fruit from each. Last year actually getting some peaches spoiled us as now we just want more!
DeleteIt looks like you could be in for a good fruit harvest. Even without the promise of fruit, the trees earn themselves a place in the garden with that gorgeous blossom.
ReplyDeleteThat is true Jo but I still hope for fruit!
DeleteLooks like everything is begining to grow now. The peach/nectarine was funny, when my mum was little she planted some carrots, they turned out to be radishes.
ReplyDeleteThe thing was, Liz we would have been happy to just keep the peach but T&M said they would replace it so in a way it was a happy mistake as we ended up with two for one
DeleteIt's great to see the buds on the fruit trees again!
ReplyDeleteI've just noted the link at the top. I can't believe that the air ambulance has to pay VAT on their fuel. Disgusting!
Have a good day!
It certainly is Martin, I love fruit!
DeleteApparently the air ambulance taxation is something to do with some European law but the idea is that there is nothing to stop the government giving back a donation equivalent to the tax paid. I think it's incredible that such a valuable service has to rely on charity donations!
How exciting! I'll be looking forward to some updates on your trees. Wishing you a bountiful fruit harvest this year!
ReplyDeleteThanks Robin every good wish is bound to help!
DeleteQuite a Fruit Salad there, Sue! Ever thought of grafting a Nectarine, a Peach and an Apricot onto one single rootstock, like they do with the "Family Tree"??
ReplyDeleteI think I'll just stick to the three separate trees Mark. I don't think if we have fruit it will make it into a fruit salad the last lot of peaches went straight from the tree into us!
DeleteIsn't it wonderful to see everything coming to life at this time of year?
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is BW
DeleteOh, there is nothing more delightful than peaches in the summer. I'd be tempted to add one to my new yard but peaches is something our part of Oregon has a lot of. Plenty of nearby u-pick groves close by for picking. I hope your pollinating techniques work out well!
ReplyDeleteNo peach groves round here Jenni! We did once stay in a gite in France which had a peach tree growing just outside the garden in the owners vineyard. We were told to help ourselves and we did!
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