Wednesday, September 28, 2016

A Second Look--September 28, 2016

Or should I say a First Look. Last night, we were at the new house and I took a few pictures before it got dark. Apparently, the former owner loved fruit trees. According to his wife, he had all kinds planted. However, some of them must be gone because I haven't seen any peach or plum trees she said they had.  Among the several that are still there, major branches have been split off but they still seem to be thriving. When we actually get moved in, we're going to start learning how to care for them. One thing I do know is that serious pruning is needed.

Here are a few things I saw this week 
during a First Look.


There are two pear trees and one of them started blooming again last week. From what I read, this can happen when there has been bad weather during the summer that puts the tree into dormancy. When the weather gets better and it starts growing again, the tree thinks it's spring and it's coming out of its winter sleep. This is a new one for me. 


There are a couple of crabapple trees. This fruit is big enough to make crabapple jelly if one were so inclined.


However, the crabapples on the other tree are too small (marble size) to do much with except throw at each other--which Miss Landers did during her first visit to see the new house. We grew up with a crabapple tree in our yard and she was feeling nostalgic. Good thing she doesn't have very good aim.


What has me the most excited is that there are two full-size apple trees. I've eaten a few of these and they are pretty tart. I think that's because most of the ones I've tried are not quite ripe. However, they are dropping like crazy, so I'm trying to get a few before the insects totally devour them. Anyone want to take a guess of what kind they are because we have no idea. The other tree is a golden delicious, I think. The apples are totally gone from it.


The picture is a little blurry, but you get an idea of what kind of damage is on some of the trees.


Ornamental plum tree. I said the plum trees were gone, but that's not exactly what I meant. I meant the plum trees that produce plums you can eat are gone.


A view of a couple of the trees from the house. BTW, the corner bed in the back is full of poison ivy. We're gonna have to find some one to take care of that before we start to work in it.