Many of you will know that last autumn we moved three of our pot grown stone fruit into the greenhouse.
The main reason for this decision was to try and avoid peach leaf curl from devastating the plants and removing any chance of fruit.
Last year on the 2 May the leaves if the nectarine looked like this:
This year, although it is far too early to feel confident that we have kept the problem at bay, the leaves look healthy.
Keeping the trees under cover meant that I had to take on the role of pollinator. I can't have done too badly as fruit has set.
The apricot - Flavourcot - was the first to flower. It didn't have lots of flower but quite a few fruits set. Unfortunately we are down to just two but these are swelling nicely at the moment.
The nectarine - Fantasia - was next and was loaded with flowers. Quite a lot have set fruit but will these follow the lead of the apricot and drop.
The peach - Avalon Pride- didn't have lots of flower but again some fruit has set. The tiny fruitlets already have a furry skin.
To try to encourage the trees to hang on to at least a couple of fruits, the trees have been given a top dressing of good quality compost mixed with a slow release fertiliser.
As an added treat we may also give them some doses of tomato fertliser for good measure.
Then we have to play a tense waiting game to see whether our trees really have hearts of stone or whether the only stones are at the heart of some juicy delicious fruits.
Posts
After all that TLC the fruits had better be damned good!
ReplyDeleteWe had a couple of peaches the first year we planted the peach - which we bought as a nectarine - and they were cin drippinhgly delicious, Mark
DeleteI hope you get that elusive fruit. Our peach hasn't flowered yet, but I see a lot of buds.
ReplyDeleteSame to you, Daphne.
DeleteI forgot to put my peach tree in the greenhouse for winter & it is suffering with peach leaf curl now. My own fault. I think you can move them out during the summer, I shall have to read up about as I want an apricot & nectarine too but no space to keep them undercover during the summer x
ReplyDeleteWe decided that it would be best for us to leave them in the greenhouse as getting them back and forth through the door would cause damage and the pots are large so the are also heavy to move, Jo. The nectarine was the worst affected with pcl. The apricot wasn't affected at all but flowers very early so we decided to have that inside too to five it some protection.
DeleteLooks like your plan has worked Sue. I know you say it's too early to tell but judging by the comparison shot, I'm sure you'd have seen some sign by now, no? I hope those tiny fruit mature for you. Slurp!
ReplyDeleteThe persicaria name you asked about. Persicaria amplexicaulis J S Caliente. I actually found the label I had written to pop in with it in a drawer the other day. I have no idea how it got there.
Hope you have a good holiday weekend.
I hope so too Angie.
DeleteThe persicaria are growing well in the greenohuse at the moment as you will soon see in my planned greenhouse post - thank you.
Enjoy your weekend too
Oh what a difference when it comes to the nectarine leaves one year on Sue. I didn't realise how ugly peach leaf curl was. I came across a patio nectarine in blossom recently and was struck by how attractive it was. Fingers crossed for all three trees. Enjoy the weekend.
ReplyDeleteI think of the three plants the nectarine flowers are the most attractive Anna.
DeleteThe pcl affected leaves feel a bit sticky too.
I picked off a few curl affected leaves from my peach yesterday. They weren't bad, but it is still there (I had quite a few last year that I removed). I was really hoping that with all the dry weather this year it wouldn't happen at all. I'll be keeping an eye out now. There are loads of peaches at the moment, but this is the tree that is in direct line of footballs, so I'm not expecting a good crop. Just a taste would be good though.
ReplyDeleteLast year I just about had to strip the trees bare CJ. We'd be happy with just a fruit each or even just one to share too
DeleteIt certainly looks as though you've managed to avoid peach leaf curl this year. It's good to see that fruit has set, I've got loads of little fruitlets on my tiny peach tree, not as advanced as yours, but I expect most of them to drop as the tree definitely won't be able to support such a big crop. Half a dozen nice fruits would suit me fine.
ReplyDeleteIt;s early days, Jo. I'm not counting any chickens.
DeleteWhat a difference from last year! I hope that most of the nectarines hang on. I recall when my plum flowered and produced so many tiny plums - it was so disappointing when most of the olive sized fruits fell to the ground.
ReplyDeleteSo do I, Margaret it would be good to get to taste one.
DeleteGood luck Sue. Fingers crossed it works!
ReplyDeleteAnd toes Jessica!
DeleteI do like that title, very clever! How good it is to see your trees with healthy leaves and young fruits forming, well done Mrs bee! I fear I shall have to dig mine up and put it in the greenhouse next year.xxx
ReplyDeleteIf I get fruit I'll bee buzzing Dina :)
DeleteThat looks like some lovely fruit. I have never had fruit on my apricot tree but I can't try moving it inside as it is planted into the ground. I gave it a really hard pruning last year so I will see if any leaf curl comes back...or if any blossom appears.
ReplyDeleteOur apricot never really suffered from peach leaf curl Tanya, it just had blossom so early that we thought we would bring it in with the other two.
ReplyDelete