The cobbler's children go barefoot

The weather forecast kept downgrading the amount of rain it predicted. We are now down to a prediction of 0.36". That is much better than nothing but I would have preferred an inch.

Yesterday, I realized that I had some rootstock that I had planted out in the Eaton Rapids orchard. They had leafed out and this is a prime-time for fertilizing them.

Taking one more look at the weather, I saw the prediction had dropped below a half inch and since I only had a handful of baby-trees to fertilize, I opted to dissolve the fertilizer in water and deliver it that way.

There is no surer way to get the fertilizer down to the roots than to fertigate.

In the course of humping three gallons of water to each tree...I realized that this is when I should be grafting MY trees.

So, after giving them their water and fertilizer, I pulled out my snippers, knives, tape and scion and grafted six apples in the Eaton Rapids orchard. I almost missed an opportunity there!

Quince

The quince trees in the Eaton Rapids orchard have been an experiment.

I am strongly leaning toward culling them because they are magnets for fireblight in my orchard.

I will be keeping a close eye on them this season and make a decision in the fall.