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I predict a lot of broken branches
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John S
PDX OR
2797 Posts
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April 21, 2021 - 7:16 pm

When do we have weeks in a row of dry sunny weather in the spring? Oh, that's right, never.

I think we're going to see a lot of pear trees that are so heavy laden, the branches break.  I predict many people needing to thin their fruit.  

I think the cherry fruit set will be outstanding too, although they are less likely to break branches.

With the rain coming on the weekend, the apple trees may get enough of a break to not break too many branches.

What do you think?

 

John S
PDX OR

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davem
353 Posts
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April 23, 2021 - 4:59 pm

My mason bees have filled most of the 3300 tubes I have in my yard so I would agree that a lot of pollination occurred in the last couple of weeks.  Although my bees seemed to prefer my big-leaf maple over everything else.  Yes it will be interesting to see what the fruit set looks like and I will have my snips ready to do some thinning.  I failed to thin my best "Miss Jessamine" grafted tree a couple of years ago and the weight of the fruit broke off 40% of the main leader.  Dumb mistake.

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jafar
762 Posts
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April 23, 2021 - 6:50 pm

Dave, 

When does Miss Jessamine bloom compared to other apple varieties?  

I have an apple tree that is mostly 4 varieties top worked.  But I have some unlabeled graft on it, maybe its the yellow apples that are probably Freyburg or Miss Jessamine.  The flowers are just opening now, the other varieties have been open for a week.  It was obvious a couple days ago because the flowers looked like dark red roses before they open, while the rest of the tree was white or light pink in bloom.

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davem
353 Posts
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April 23, 2021 - 8:05 pm

jafar said
When does Miss Jessamine bloom compared to other apple varieties?  

In prior years the first blossom date ranged from 4/12 to 5/3.  Mine are in full bloom now but I didn't note when the bloom started this year.  I think the amount of sun makes a big difference, i.e. the tree in full sun has been blooming for a while, the one in part shade is just starting.

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davem
353 Posts
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April 25, 2021 - 9:48 am

I guess I lied. Here are the current blooms on both trees.20210425_092639.jpg20210425_092621.jpg20210425_092437.jpg20210425_092357.jpg

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DanielW
Clark County, WA
519 Posts
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April 25, 2021 - 4:49 pm

John, I think you are right!  

Most of my trees are cover with flowers.  Must have been all those nutrients that settled into the ground last summer from the smoke...  or not.

This year most of my branches can be reached with no ladder, standing on the ground to thin.  I have been working on shorter trees with horizontal trained branches.  I recommend it!

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Rooney
Vancouver SW Washington
770 Posts
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June 17, 2021 - 6:50 am

John S said
When do we have weeks in a row of dry sunny weather in the spring? Oh, that's right, never.

I think we're going to see a lot of pear trees that are so heavy laden, the branches break.  I predict many people needing to thin their fruit.  

I think the cherry fruit set will be outstanding too, although they are less likely to break branches.

With the rain coming on the weekend, the apple trees may get enough of a break to not break too many branches.

What do you think?

John S

PDX OR

I found a duke cherry loaded with rosy red cherries this morning and thought of you and your duke 'balaton' cherry. Duke cherry are not typically very productive trees because they are hybrids between sweet and sour cherry. These red ones are unmistakable for the resemblence of smaller leaves and the rosy red of sour cherry but these are very delicious. Anyways, this is at the corner just barely inside a private fence on a corner sidewalk which is two intersections directly south of the Winco farm store NE on 164th avenue on our side in Vancouver. 

I have been watching balaton at a public nursery in interior BC for a few years now which is rather small size fruit and rather tasty as well, but again, lacks any production out of the tree. This Vancouver duke is 3/4 inch across and slightly larger. I suppose this year with optimal weather during flowers they could be very productive. How productive did yours get this year? 

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DanielW
Clark County, WA
519 Posts
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June 17, 2021 - 8:16 am

This is partly a test to see if I can upload a photo.  

We are picking our sweet sherries now.  The trees are loaded and some splitting after the rain.  We are canning a few batches for winter enjoyment.

I got most pf my trees thinned.  However, fruit set has apple branches drooping to deer height.  I didnt think of that.  I still need to thin some plums but wonder if it is too late.

This is North Star cherry.  It set very nicely this year despite having beaucoup cherries last year too.

[ok I cant upload from my Ipad.  I'll try a different method later and edit ?]

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John S
PDX OR
2797 Posts
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June 20, 2021 - 4:22 pm

Balaton doesn't produce as many cherries as Montmorency, as you said.  However, it produces much more than Jubileum or Danube, other Hungarian cherries that I used to grow. I chopped them and am grafting them over to Montmorency. 

I wasn't aware that Balaton was  Duke cherry. I had just heard that Michigan State was touting Balaton, Jubileum and Danube as outstanding varieties of pie cherry to grow.  I am not nearly as impressed as they are. I kept Balaton.

Another pie cherry that I kept was Surefire. It sure has delicious cherries and continues to grow and produce.

John S
PDX OR

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