When it was time to prune fig trees last year only one tree was pruned as a kind of experiment to see how production would be affected. When the figs first started ripening the un-pruned tree out produced the pruned fee at least double every day. Wednesday both trees produced the same amount. There were downsides to not pruning.
The un-pruned tree is harder to pick. It also shades the garden more. This year both trees will be radically pruned. The birds get about 1/3 of the figs anyway. The birds pick the taller tree more easily than the shorter tree. We enjoy birdsong and seeing the birds. It is a fair trade.
The new planting of cucumbers from Thursday had sprouted when we got back from Charleston on Sunday PM. The rain had washed off all of the spray and the cucumber beetles and squash bugs are back in full force. BT was sprayed with the sprayer from Lowes. The sulfur is in the sprayer from Home Depot. It has a pressure relieve thing that won’t hold pressure now. The sprayer is about 2 months old. Someday I will learn not to buy anything from Home Depot with moving parts.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Showing posts with label Pruning Fig Trees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pruning Fig Trees. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Nibble Nibble
The little munchers have arrived in the garden. They ate about 4’ of a bean row. Later they came back and finished the row off and started another. Last night they sampled the corn. I spread some human hair in those beds, but I really don’t have a lot of faith in that method. A little pepper and garlic spray will work until the rains come. It is a real shame that rabbit is not good to eat this time of year. A rabbit box would provide a little extra protein to compensate for the missing beans.
It probably doesn’t really matter if an irrigation system leaks; but the wasted water does not seem to be going in the right place. A 10-pack of hose washers only costs 98 cents. Every connection to which they have been applied has stopped leaking. That is a good investment. It is really early to be watering the garden, but it seems to be a drier than normal spring.
The garden is really growing well. The raised bed system seems to have less weeds so far. The growth of everything is really good. This is the time of year when the garden really gives a lot of joy.
One fig tree was pruned, the other was not. The idea was to see if the pruning reduced the yield. The pruned tree seems to have as many or more figs than the un-pruned tree. The figs from each will be weighed and that will be the real test.s
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
It probably doesn’t really matter if an irrigation system leaks; but the wasted water does not seem to be going in the right place. A 10-pack of hose washers only costs 98 cents. Every connection to which they have been applied has stopped leaking. That is a good investment. It is really early to be watering the garden, but it seems to be a drier than normal spring.
The garden is really growing well. The raised bed system seems to have less weeds so far. The growth of everything is really good. This is the time of year when the garden really gives a lot of joy.
One fig tree was pruned, the other was not. The idea was to see if the pruning reduced the yield. The pruned tree seems to have as many or more figs than the un-pruned tree. The figs from each will be weighed and that will be the real test.s
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
New Seed Catalogs
New Seed Catalogs
Friday’s mail brought 2 new seed catalogs. Saturday’s brought 4 more, including my favorite: Burpees. I can’t believe I don’t even have my garden planned and laid out yet. It is time to order seeds. Ordering seeds for an unplanned garden is like going to the grocery store when you are hungry. Have you every had seeds with no place to plant them? The greenhouse already has too much of some things and not enough of others.
The herbs I planted in the greenhouse last year, except for basil and parsley, did not germinate well; so I really overdid it this year thinking I would not have enough. I have asked my friends and my wife to start saving the little trays from the rotisserie chickens. I will put about 5 small pots of herbs in each one and give them to people for kitchen herb gardens.
Yesterday the fig trees got a haircut. It is unbelievable how much wood they produce in one year. Everything above eye level comes off. The older fig tree also gave up the central trunk from about waist high; because I can’t get in to pick the stuff on it anyway and that will let more light into the tree. From the pile of wood on the street, I would say the trees lost 1/3 of their mass. They are still larger than they were last year.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com/ , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Friday’s mail brought 2 new seed catalogs. Saturday’s brought 4 more, including my favorite: Burpees. I can’t believe I don’t even have my garden planned and laid out yet. It is time to order seeds. Ordering seeds for an unplanned garden is like going to the grocery store when you are hungry. Have you every had seeds with no place to plant them? The greenhouse already has too much of some things and not enough of others.
The herbs I planted in the greenhouse last year, except for basil and parsley, did not germinate well; so I really overdid it this year thinking I would not have enough. I have asked my friends and my wife to start saving the little trays from the rotisserie chickens. I will put about 5 small pots of herbs in each one and give them to people for kitchen herb gardens.
Yesterday the fig trees got a haircut. It is unbelievable how much wood they produce in one year. Everything above eye level comes off. The older fig tree also gave up the central trunk from about waist high; because I can’t get in to pick the stuff on it anyway and that will let more light into the tree. From the pile of wood on the street, I would say the trees lost 1/3 of their mass. They are still larger than they were last year.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com/ , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Great Weather for Gardening (in my bed)
Great Weather for Gardening (in my bed)
Reading garden books, ordering seeds for the greenhouse, planning next spring’s perfect garden and searching for new plants and varieties are all great gardening activities for a cold rainy weekend. For the last two years I have planted Burpee’s Porterhouse Beefsteak tomatoes. They are early, huge and prolific. Unfortunately they don’t have much flavor. This year I ordered an heirloom tomato called “Bloody Butcher”. They have a very short maturity time and produce tomatoes that are about 2” in diameter. That is a little bigger than grape or patio tomatoes; but smaller than a Marglobe. Marglobes and some seed from last years best volunteers will provide regular tomatoes for canning and salads. Better Boys will be for sandwiches.
I did get to play in the yard all day on Thursday (Thanksgiving). I managed to break almost all of my toys. Neither lawn more, nor by leaf blower would start. I burned up the motor on my electric chain saw. I did get a lot done though. The leaf blower is fixed and the lawn mowers are in the shop. I got a new electric chain saw. The garden grew by about 200 square feet. The grapes, asparagus and strawberries have weedless beds and a nice top-dressing of about 2” of compost. If the rain stops today I will lay off the rows, test the soil and mulch the nice wet ground.
It is amazing how much the grapevines and figs have grown this year. They have gone dormant and should be pruned pretty soon. The grapevines will be cut back pretty severely since this is their first year. The figs, of course, will go back to the same height as last year. That is about eye level. They will be a lot wider than last year however.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Reading garden books, ordering seeds for the greenhouse, planning next spring’s perfect garden and searching for new plants and varieties are all great gardening activities for a cold rainy weekend. For the last two years I have planted Burpee’s Porterhouse Beefsteak tomatoes. They are early, huge and prolific. Unfortunately they don’t have much flavor. This year I ordered an heirloom tomato called “Bloody Butcher”. They have a very short maturity time and produce tomatoes that are about 2” in diameter. That is a little bigger than grape or patio tomatoes; but smaller than a Marglobe. Marglobes and some seed from last years best volunteers will provide regular tomatoes for canning and salads. Better Boys will be for sandwiches.
I did get to play in the yard all day on Thursday (Thanksgiving). I managed to break almost all of my toys. Neither lawn more, nor by leaf blower would start. I burned up the motor on my electric chain saw. I did get a lot done though. The leaf blower is fixed and the lawn mowers are in the shop. I got a new electric chain saw. The garden grew by about 200 square feet. The grapes, asparagus and strawberries have weedless beds and a nice top-dressing of about 2” of compost. If the rain stops today I will lay off the rows, test the soil and mulch the nice wet ground.
It is amazing how much the grapevines and figs have grown this year. They have gone dormant and should be pruned pretty soon. The grapevines will be cut back pretty severely since this is their first year. The figs, of course, will go back to the same height as last year. That is about eye level. They will be a lot wider than last year however.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Freezing Nights, Falling Leaves, Fig Trees
Freezing Nights, Falling Leaves, Fig Trees
We finally had our first freeze while I was in Orlando. I think it was the morning of November 10. It did not hurt the eggplants or the peppers or the winter crops. It did kill the baby figs and knock the leaves off of the fig trees. It seems that the leaves are falling off of a lot of other trees too. I have been picking up a pickup truck load of bagged leaves from the side of the road every day since returning to Charlotte.
We are getting a lot of greens, eggplants and salad greens; but there has been no rain to speak of. I had to set up the irrigation system again. There is a light rain falling this morning. Tonight I hope to lay in bed and plant my perfect garden for next year. I have some really great new ideas. Tonight the garden will be planned. Tomorrow seeds will be ordered for the greenhouse.
The neighbor’s fence is so grown up with vines and junk that I cannot get to my grape vines to prune them. Clearing that fence will be this weekend’s project. Maybe I will have time to prune the grapevines and fig trees. The fig trees are even bigger this year than they were last year. There is a lot of pruning to do. The castor oil bean trees are still living. One of them has seeds this year. They are over 20’ in the air. I won’t be able to harvest the seeds until the tree dies and I cut it down.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
We finally had our first freeze while I was in Orlando. I think it was the morning of November 10. It did not hurt the eggplants or the peppers or the winter crops. It did kill the baby figs and knock the leaves off of the fig trees. It seems that the leaves are falling off of a lot of other trees too. I have been picking up a pickup truck load of bagged leaves from the side of the road every day since returning to Charlotte.
We are getting a lot of greens, eggplants and salad greens; but there has been no rain to speak of. I had to set up the irrigation system again. There is a light rain falling this morning. Tonight I hope to lay in bed and plant my perfect garden for next year. I have some really great new ideas. Tonight the garden will be planned. Tomorrow seeds will be ordered for the greenhouse.
The neighbor’s fence is so grown up with vines and junk that I cannot get to my grape vines to prune them. Clearing that fence will be this weekend’s project. Maybe I will have time to prune the grapevines and fig trees. The fig trees are even bigger this year than they were last year. There is a lot of pruning to do. The castor oil bean trees are still living. One of them has seeds this year. They are over 20’ in the air. I won’t be able to harvest the seeds until the tree dies and I cut it down.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Odds & Ends Again
Odds & Ends Again
Yesterday (Nov 27) I pruned the fig trees. I posted a picture of the green trees today (Nov 28). Here are the trees after being pruned. Not much left, huh?
I am also including pictures of the raised bed. Finished…mulched…no plants yet:
My granddaughters helped me plant the fall garden. Here they are:
I also put some of my neighbors leaves into the compost bins. The bags on the roadside were still too wet yesterday. I did pick up a few bags today.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com/ , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Yesterday (Nov 27) I pruned the fig trees. I posted a picture of the green trees today (Nov 28). Here are the trees after being pruned. Not much left, huh?
I am also including pictures of the raised bed. Finished…mulched…no plants yet:
My granddaughters helped me plant the fall garden. Here they are:
I also put some of my neighbors leaves into the compost bins. The bags on the roadside were still too wet yesterday. I did pick up a few bags today.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com/ , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Pruning the Fig Trees
Pruning the Fig Trees
The sun is out again today (Nov. 27). I am eating Brunswick stew from yesterday and thinking about my fig trees. Blum’s Almanac says that the 26th,27th and 28th of November are in the signs of Cancer. This is supposedly the time to prune for growth. All the leaves have fallen off of the fig trees so today (the 27th) should be a good time to prune them. I took a picture of the trees about a month ago when they were fully leaved and bearing figs.
All of next years figs will be on new growth. The trees produce so much growth that it is necessary to bend the branches down to pick the figs. This works fine with tender 1st year growth. The old wood won’t bend so easily. I will cut all of the vertical branches in the centers of the trees. Everything else will be trimmed off at the level of my eyes. I will post an after picture tomorrow along with a picture of the raised bed. I was having a problem downloading from my camera; but I got it fixed.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com/ , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
The sun is out again today (Nov. 27). I am eating Brunswick stew from yesterday and thinking about my fig trees. Blum’s Almanac says that the 26th,27th and 28th of November are in the signs of Cancer. This is supposedly the time to prune for growth. All the leaves have fallen off of the fig trees so today (the 27th) should be a good time to prune them. I took a picture of the trees about a month ago when they were fully leaved and bearing figs.
All of next years figs will be on new growth. The trees produce so much growth that it is necessary to bend the branches down to pick the figs. This works fine with tender 1st year growth. The old wood won’t bend so easily. I will cut all of the vertical branches in the centers of the trees. Everything else will be trimmed off at the level of my eyes. I will post an after picture tomorrow along with a picture of the raised bed. I was having a problem downloading from my camera; but I got it fixed.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com/ , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
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