What did you do in the garden today?

[Ascholten]

Yesterday we had a squall line come through, had a gust of wind 52 MPH, blew crap all over, tossed the living hell out of my poor blood orange tree which just made it through the last weeks 17 degree weather !!

The tree had 10 oranges on it. After that it was 9 oranges. one came off.

I have NO idea how to tell when they are ripe or not, so am going to leave them on the tree oh hell, until they start to 'brown up' get soft, still reading up trying to figure out the best time.

Anyways, the one that fell off, was nice and heavy, dense, had a pretty good deep orange color to it's skin, and smelled pretty sweet. So far so good right???

So I sliced it open, thinking well, if it's not quite ripe, I can immediately baggie it up and put in fridge and hope it ripens the rest of the way at least to something eatable.

OMG. This orange was so sweet it was insane !! The part that was still orange, had not reddened yet, was sooo super sweet with a nice orangy flavor, it was just crazy, but when I got to the parts that DID ripen to its fullest and were bright red. It was just crazy how flavorful and sweet it was. I sincerely wish there existed a way that I could have shared with each and every one of you how wonderfully sweet this orange was !!

I can die now, ....
after tasting that orange, my life has officially been fufilled, my bucket list crossed off, and everything wonderful in life for me, has been accomplished

I think after another two weeks, the ones left on the tree, will have reached their peak awesome. Still, do I leave them on until they are blatantly obvious they are ripe, and ready to get over ripe or harvest them on gut feeling? THIS is the part I don't know. I don't want to rot them on the tree, but if they are the type of fruit that 'picks itself' when it's ready or makes it plainly obvious it's ripe, then I can wait.

any ideas?

 

[TJAnonymous]

Yesterday we had a squall line come through, had a gust of wind 52 MPH, blew crap all over, tossed the living hell out of my poor blood orange tree which just made it through the last weeks 17 degree weather !!

The tree had 10 oranges on it. After that it was 9 oranges. one came off.

I have NO idea how to tell when they are ripe or not, so am going to leave them on the tree oh hell, until they start to 'brown up' get soft, still reading up trying to figure out the best time.

Anyways, the one that fell off, was nice and heavy, dense, had a pretty good deep orange color to it's skin, and smelled pretty sweet. So far so good right???

So I sliced it open, thinking well, if it's not quite ripe, I can immediately baggie it up and put in fridge and hope it ripens the rest of the way at least to something eatable.

OMG. This orange was so sweet it was insane !! The part that was still orange, had not reddened yet, was sooo super sweet with a nice orangy flavor, it was just crazy, but when I got to the parts that DID ripen to its fullest and were bright red. It was just crazy how flavorful and sweet it was. I sincerely wish there existed a way that I could have shared with each and every one of you how wonderfully sweet this orange was !!

I can die now, ....
after tasting that orange, my life has officially been fufilled, my bucket list crossed off, and everything wonderful in life for me, has been accomplished

I think after another two weeks, the ones left on the tree, will have reached their peak awesome. Still, do I leave them on until they are blatantly obvious they are ripe, and ready to get over ripe or harvest them on gut feeling? THIS is the part I don't know. I don't want to rot them on the tree, but if they are the type of fruit that 'picks itself' when it's ready or makes it plainly obvious it's ripe, then I can wait.

any ideas?

View attachment 3368732View attachment 3368733

I don't know the answer to your question... But if this were my tree, I'd probably space out the collection of the remaining 9 oranges between Monday and 10 days later. That way I can test out the ripeness along with way. It's better than waiting 2 weeks and figuring out afterwards that you missed the window. (I've learned that one from experience too many times to keep repeating it)

 

[Ascholten]

Dang, I wish teleporting were really a thing! I'd be there in a minute to help you, Aaron! I soooo want to get outside in the sunshine and get my hands dirty.

We might get some sunshine for (literally) the first time this year.

I appreciate that sally, and seriously, once it warms up a bit. not TOO much, we need to figure a way to get you over here (can't say down here cause we about same latitude !!) even if just for a weekend of good cooking, chickin chasin and fishing !!

oh and coffee sharing too !!

Aaron

oops, can't forget 'too thumpin' if we leave him out we'll never hear the end of it !!

 

[Ascholten]

I don't know the answer to your question... But if this were my tree, I'd probably space out the collection of the remaining 9 oranges between Monday and 10 days later. That way I can test out the ripeness along with way. It's better than waiting 2 weeks and figuring out afterwards that you missed the window. (I've learned that one from experience too many times to keep repeating it)

That makes a lot of sense, some of them obviously are not 'quite' as ripe as the others but after that hard frost, I have a feeling any 'advancing' on the process is halted and it's in it's '''getting old''' stage now. I lost my lemons, the tree yellowed all the leaves did and when I checked the lemons on it, they were mooshy and one was moldy a bit so that's a loss. Hope I didn't lose the entire tree but I don't think myers lemons like that much cold too much. Since I already know they are eatable, i think ill take your advice and pick one a day.

An orange a day keeps the cockatoo at bay !!! There we Go !

Aaron

 

[Ascholten]

Update: No I can't put a stick on my cast. it sticks out too much, bangs into stuff, so he's going to have do deal with it. I really don't want him on my shoulder either, he gets too pesty then, a quick once in a while ok doable but for ANY extended period of time, causes issues. he gets too demanding when he gets too much attention and it always ends the same. Him in the closet, throwing a tantrum followed by the water sprayer or a surprise visit by the plastic Mr. STFU owl if it gets too bad

He does not like the plastic owl, it's big and scary and pecks at his toes !! and he can't reach it back Seriously though Ill tell him, / yell at him; you keep screaming like that and the owl is going to show up !! I'll go around the corner and hoot once or twice and the tantrum generally stops immediately !!

Yes I know, there's a special place in hell for me, but he'll join me there !!!

Aaron

 

[Ascholten]

Ok, so there's inside the coop which is warm and cozy and all the other girls are there.
Then there's..... this.......

She IS molting so looks HORRIBLE.

Maybe that is why she wants to be outside and alone because she's sore from the molt? She IS the alpha so it's not like she's being bullied.

The good thing is, that is my asparagus tote, so they should be the size of California Giant Redwoods this coming Spring !! from her 'gifts' to them.

I tell you, if it ain't one thing it's another. Life would be so boring and not worth living if we didn't have birds to brighten our days.

Aaron

 

[CNJ]

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds turn out to be more reliable than Etsy's OrganicAmericaSeedCo. I had an order placed with OrganicAmericaSeedCo. on Etsy way before I placed an order with Baker Creek and I already received my seeds from Baker Creek and I am still waiting on my Etsy order.

 

[Sally PB]

I love Baker Creek. They took a "break" over the holidays, but emailed all their existing customers to tell them that.

If I'm ever near Mansfield, MO, I plan to stop by and visit.

Oh, fair warning: Their catalog is full -- FULL! -- of garden porn.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I love Baker Creek. They took a "break" over the holidays, but emailed all their existing customers to tell them that.

If I'm ever near Mansfield, MO, I plan to stop by and visit.

Oh, fair warning: Their catalog is full -- FULL! -- of garden porn.

I have to enable self discipline like you've never seen when looking at their catalog....

 

[Ascholten]

My problem is, I memorized all my credit card numbers. The self discipline is a teensy eensy bit more difficult in situations like that...

Aaron