What a difference a day makes! Yesterday I’m crawling around in the top of my Gravenstein … wondering if I should strip down to my T-shirt for some sun – today I’m hunkered down inside watching constant rain… Ah… the maritime NW <!-- s
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As far as bud-break, the fruit trees appear to be holding tight, and I’ve seen no signs of daffodil or crocus sprouts… But my yard/orchard’s somewhat unique; running upward from a ‘canyon,’ my Asian plums remain in the shadows, often a frosty deepfreeze as the sun-exposed upper portions bask in the (occasional) winter sun. Consequently, I prune from the top down. As the days get ‘longer’ and the sun higher in the sky, my pruning schedule works out perfect as I prune the ‘first to bloom last and the last to bloom first!’
I did smell Spring, twice last week -- what a treat! And my Oso berry bush 
-- the first of the indigenous plants to leaf and flower is pushing fat green leaf buds. I know it’s coming ... just not too fast, I’ve still got a lot of ‘middle ground’ to prune…
Ok I might be crazy but this afternoon I pruned off a 1 inch apple branch. Then I decided to cut through the bark, and too my surprise the bark lifted from the cambium layer easily. I then tried it on a apple tree. Same result. I know it is VERY early but I decided to try a few bark grafts. I doubt they will take because we surely will have cold weather yet. But, they were doable and bark slipped easily. This seems to be 2 months early. I am starting to see pink on the peach tree blossoms. I think its a strange year.
What is bustin' a move? **
The Pyrus betulifolia grafted to hawthorn is active. Shoulda looked a week ago. Did not realize it was active so soon. Right in there with Omleria Cerasiformis (Oso plum, Indian plum, btw are either male or female)
And my Corylus colurna — Turkish Hazel yearlings are active.
The grape plant I cut into the other day is dripping fluid. So it is also focusing on it's strategies with complete energy!
** means to focus on the strategies with complete energy in the corporate world. LINK
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