So much for Global Warming….we have had a lot of rain this year (probably just cyclical) and the bulbs and trees started about 2 weeks early in late January versus our normal of mid February.
So far, this year, we added:
10 Fruit and Nut Trees
20 Grapes (from last year’s slips)
14 Boysenberries from cane strikes
Strawberries and more asparagus, garlic, and Kiwis.
1000+ vegetable seeds in flats. Very early for us mid-January. We created a PVC pipe frame which we will use later in the year for tomato stakes, and cover them with cheap plastic painter’s drop clothes. Very happy with the results.
Got all the mature trees pruned and fertilized. Good thing we did…with the early spring, many have already bolted without ever having lost their leaves from the fall and very short winter.
We made a mistake last year fertilizing the the trees using Citrus/Avocado mix for everyone. The peaches, plums, pears, nectarines, apricots were not happy. Lots of green growth with few blossoms. Surprisingly, the apples did not seem to care. The bananas, mango’s like it. The papaya was very upset with ridiculous bizarre growth.
Of course, we had record crops in citrus with more grapefruit, lemons than we could handle. Oranges (unbelievable seedless navels) which we always consume are almost at the excess level. The Bearless lime which we hate had a reasonable crop. We will replace this lime with a sweet lime and a Mexican thorn less which we prefer.
We had a surplus crop of Avocados which we were able to sell and still had way too much to eat.
Looking forward to our first nut crop of Almonds followed hopefully in a few years with Walnuts and Pecans. Still looking for pistachios and macadamia trees for CA (or from seed which we have not been successful at…..). Might get some passion fruit this year.
Very few items left to find to complete the coverage for the “Shopping List” which we updated. Slowly but surely we are moving to Fruit, Vegetable and Nut independence.
We are very happy with the results and derive a lot enjoyment from working in the yard. We putting in a “Granny Path” eg no obstacles so you walk in between the trees and gardens with your hands full without worrying too much so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor.
