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| A large patch of Wood Sorrel (Oxalis species) where a thicket of Multiflora Rose had been removed. Old-timers will tell you that Wood and Sheep Sorrel grow best where the soil is acid (low pH). |
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| A close-up of the plant (not my photo). As kids, we called these plants "Shamrocks". |
I have very, very little clover growing on the bottom half of the Hill Orchard but it composes about 10% of the sward in the top quarter is White Clover.
The bottom half is dominated by Crabgrass and Redtop grass. Both of those species indicate low soil fertility, in particular a shortage of nitrogen.
If I manage the soil fertility to grow White Clover, better species of grass will follow. The greater annual biomass will feed the worms and the deeper roots will pump organic matter deep into the soil profile as they grow and slough-off feeder roots through the growth and mowing cycles.
Mowing
I "found" a yellowjacket nest while mowing. By some miracle, I didn't get stung even though I mowed right over the top of the nest with the 22 hp garden tractor. Discretion is the better part of valor. I beat a hasty retreat.
I didn't stop mowing. I moved over a couple of rows. And yes, one of the yellowjackets whacked me on my ankle while I was mowing directly across from their nest and two rows over. Maybe there is another nest. Maybe it was a yellowjacket from the nest I disturbed.
I decided that I was done mowing and I made a trip to town to buy a sprayer, insecticide and surfactant. I hosed the nest from 12 feet away.
Planning for 2026
I am leaning toward planting Galarina/MM111 into the "holes" in the Upper Orchard and some spots in the Hill Orchard. At this point, I have four trees identified for culling and two holes already earmarked for a peach and a plum tree in the Upper Orchard.
Galarina ripens about ten days after Liberty and Crimson Crisp. The fruit hangs on the tree very well even after it is ripe, something that cannot be said about Liberty.
Unlike Gala, one of Galarina's parents, Galarina retains crispness and aroma well in storage. The tree is also more disease resistant than Gala and it withstands winter cold better. The downside of Galarina is that the apple run small-to-medium in size.
MM111 rootstock produces a large, deeply-rooted, drought resistant tree that is not particularly precocious. It may be just the ticket for the lower part of the Hill Orchard where the soil is poor and end-trees of rows that get wind-whipped.
Always love the garden tips , I have good years and bad years gardening and always learn something . This year had a little blossom end rot on tomatoes , I caught it in time and saved the plants and fruit . Used a product called Cal-Mag , 2tsp per gallon and miracle grow mixed at usual label rate per gallon , used a small pump sprayer and sprayed the foiliage and let it drip into the soil through the layer of straw placed as top mulch around the plants . In addition , this is a new one for me , we saved up all our eggshells , rinsed off the eggy stuff, had a good bucketful , crushed up the eggshells and placed them on top of the straw mulch as well . It seemed to help. These tomato plants , were/are san marzanos , roma looking, planted in big feed buckets , with a mix of garden soil and store bought black cow composted manure . I had some bad experiences bumming manure off my cattle raising neighbors , it usually comes with rocks, even free , rocks are not good . Been canning for 3 weeks , got 30 pint jars off four plants and more on the way . Green beans we got 48 jars so far , but they are starting to fade maybe get 5-10 more . I enjoy your garden tips and adventures . Thanks
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment!
DeleteFoliar feeding is the fastest way to get nutrients into a plant. Calcium sprays are used for apples with Honeycrisp being unsalable without an aggressive calcium spray program.
Great catch and recovery on your part. And you are doing a fabulous job harvesting and preserving your garden.
I found a Yellowjacket nest in my Blueberry patch two weeks ago. They got me six times before I could vacate the area. Took four days before the swelling on my wrists went done. I treated the itch as well. I was watering the bushes. I then dropped the hose at the nest entrance and let it fill the hole. Except for a few outside hornets the flooding did the trick. I didn’t notice the movement on the ground.
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I were digging up a flower bed and disturbed a nest of Yellow Jackets and got stung. We ran over about 50 feet and they left us alone. Soddenly, we were attacked again from out of nowhere and stung again. It turns out there was another nest in the side panels of our hot tub which we did not disturb. I theorized that the pheromones released by the murder bees from the first attack caused the second nest to go into defense mode.
ReplyDeleteWe find that a wee bit of gasoline in the hole at sunset when they are all home kills them all. Not to mention the fact that they all died screaming in agony. Yellow Jackets are a$$holes.
Agreed. Yellow Jackets are a$$holes.
Delete"Yellow Jackets are a$$holes." Except in France where the Gilets Jaune opposed the political a$$holes.
DeleteERJ, at least from what I have read, weeds are a great indicator of what the soil is deficient in.
ReplyDeleteSoil amendments seem (to me anyway) to be even more applicable to my situation of container garden, where the only thing that gets in is what I put in.