What did you do in the garden today?

[jerryse]

Thanks! So if the ones I planted are, say, gala. I should plant granny smith next to each gala apple tree so they cross pollinate?

You can get by with one pollinator for several trees . Does not have to be 1 to 1 . Crabapples also work if you already have flowering crab . There are a few that self pollinate like golden delicious . 2 in one trees are also available . Lots of options

 

[Farmdog267]

@karenerwin Sorry to hear about your friend. Thoughts and prayers to you and your family during this rough time.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning gardeners. First off, so sorry for your loss @karenerwin. It's hard losing a dear friend, but you have such good memories of her that will last forever and give you comfort. What a lively discussion on apple trees. When I first planted my semi dwarf Cortland tree I was going to rely on the crabapple tree across the street. However, after concern that the tree might be cut down by the homeowners I picked up an Empire apple tree from a local nursery and planted that about 30 feet away from the Cortland. Both bloomed quite well last year and produced fruit. However, I didn't let the fruit develop so the tree could mature for another year. Luckily, my dwarf peach tree doesn't need a buddy. So she's good. My tiny leeks are standing straight and tall today so I have shifted their plastic dome to let them de-humidify gradually. Don't want it to get moldy in there. My starter soil and testing kit arrived yesterday. So all I need now is some more of the peat starter trays. The warmer weather and rain has washed away most of the ice in the backyard. Some of my raised garden beds still have ice on them. Crazy weather. More rain tonight and early tomorrow then back to a deep freeze again for two days, then warming up. I think I have my brooder dilemma resolved. I'm going to brood on the covered porch outside my dining room. It is covered with tinted glass and I can easily plug in the brooder plate. That way the dust will be confined to that area. When the chicks are fully feathered they will go out into the old rooster "bachelor pad" after some adjustments. Recalling how long it took to do the integration last year, I want to be able to be ready for that again. I may be ordering the chicks today. Have a great day everyone.

 

[Farmdog267]

More rain here today but it stays on the warm side. I'm hoping the USPS tracking website is correct and if it is, I'll be coming home this evening to my seeds waiting for my arrival. Can't wait to get some cold crops planted as that will be a great sign that spring is indeed on the way!

 

[hysop]

I don't think this is really that important in your case. You are planting trees from seeds, and only for shade and ornamental purposes. Your resulting trees will have wild apples when they fruit. You still will have flower blooms,,,, which is the beauty of such trees.
If you did decide to get apple trees from a nursery, those would be a variety as labeled, but would be as a result of grafting. That is when you would consult the chart to determine which apple varieties to purchase. Also how to plant, and space.

Oh okay phew! I thought if they didn’t pollinate they would die. Okay, that makes me feel better. Less things I gotta worry about at least for this set of random apple seeds

 

[blackandtan]

skip the garden stores to start. Go to the local extension and find out what will grow there FIRST. Stores here sell sweet cherry, peach and nectarine, but they WILL NOT grow here. Sour cherry will and asian nectarine will IF it is very well protected over the winter. Which never happens.

So check what will grow first. Then shop.

Yes I definitely know what will survive, we don’t have county agents or extensions or anything like that in Canada; I always do my research before going shopping, I’d never rely on greenhouse people for their “expertise” lol
My chief problems to date have been moles and sun canker on my poor apple trees; we’ve been planting apples since we moved in and every spring replaced half of them cause the moles would girdle them; one year we tried collars on the trees and the moles just used them like ladders! An old fellow I met said to use mothballs in the fall and I haven’t had a problem since.
For the cankers I spray paint the south and west side of the trunks white, it works so well.

 

[blackandtan]

Here’s my 2020 flower selection; I’ll probably pick up a few trays of cosmos in the spring; I also ordered “cherry pink” nasturtiums off Etsy so we’ll see how that goes...they better be pink and NOT red!!!

 

[Farmdog267]

Good luck with them!

 

[karenerwin]

Lightly snowing here.

 

[blackandtan]

View attachment 2036117View attachment 2036118View attachment 2036119Lightly snowing here.

Karen what is that beautiful grey turkey I see?