What did you do in the garden today?

[Arielle]

Started the first seeds of the season: patio pot sized tomatoes. One cherry tomato ( baby boomer hybrid BURPEE) and one a beefsteak ( bushsteak hybrid BURPEE)

That activity in itself says spring is coming fast!!!

 

[Peep_Show]

We're having a week of record-breaking warm weather and -- uh-oh -- early bud break on the apricots. It's only mid-February, so we've got a few more freezes headed our way. Might not be much of a fruit crop this year.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

Anyone have a trick to keep trees from budding early? This year it too late, but we have an old apricot tree that almost never produces because it is in the wrong zone and flowers too early.

 

[lazy gardener]

Arielle, if these blackberries don't survive in the micro-climate I have picked out for them (along the west side of the house, good sun, bone dry) I'll revert to the idea of transplanting some wild black berries. They often grow very well here, and their fruit is succulent, though more seedy than cultivated fruit. I'll need to move some dwarf lilacs to make room for the black berries. Perhaps I'll find an even better spot, so the lilacs can stay.

I committed an act of treason against my 2 young apple trees. They had been top pruned in the nursery before being shipped bare root last year. But, that set their first scaffold branches about 4' high. I want to keep these trees short enough that I can manage them without any ladders. So, I lopped them down to about 30" high. Time will tell if I just did a stupid, or not! I think my seedling pear is big enough that I can graft it this season. I want to put Seckel, and one other variety on it. Need to take a course, or do some extensive reading. New experience!

 

[FridayYet]

We're having a week of record-breaking warm weather and -- uh-oh -- early bud break on the apricots. It's only mid-February, so we've got a few more freezes headed our way. Might not be much of a fruit crop this year.

The ones down the street are doing the same thing.

 

[Beekissed]

The buds on my peach trees are looking mighty fuzzy...hope they don't spring before their time. I added more leaves under them today and hope to get some more wood chips and manure added before blossom time.

I removed most of the deer netting fences around the apple trees today that was holding the leaves and wood chips in....they are matted down enough to not blow away now. The last snow had weighed down those fences to the ground, so I figured they weren't doing much now. I left the one around my favorite tree...hope it keeps the squirrels out.

Fed my worms...they are sure multiplying! Can't wait to release them to the wilds of my garden and use their soil for my seedlings and to cover seeds sown in the garden. I figured I'd mix it with a good potting soil to extend it for that purpose.

 

[lazy gardener]

On a lark, I bought some "sweet cherry" seeds from a mail order company. Any one have experience germinating stone fruit?

 

[jerryse]

On a lark, I bought some "sweet cherry" seeds from a mail order company. Any one have experience germinating stone fruit?

You need to stratify for 3 months . Cool and moist . moist paper towel + seeds in a zip lock . Date it and put in the fridge .

 

[lazy gardener]

Then just plant like normal? Any freezing cycles?

 

[jerryse]

Then just plant like normal? Any freezing cycles?

No freezing . Yes then plant them .