Our First Homegrown Peaches

Last year I chronicled our planting of a tiny backyard orchard.  The peach trees bloomed their heads off this spring and were covered with tiny little peaches.   Sadly, one of the trees dropped every single one of its fruits.  However, the other tree managed to hold on to about six peaches. 

We allowed them to grow and I've been diligently checking on their status.  Today I went out to find that three of the six had disappeared (squirrels?) and that their remained three perfectly ripened peaches.

I quickly snatched them from their branches and commenced eating.  Now these were not your perfect, food store, pesticide protected, peach specimens.  We did not expect this.  They were covered with blemishes.  Despite their imperfections, once picked, washed, and skinned they were simply divine.  Halfway through my meal, I remembered to stop and snap a picture of this historic harvest.

Next year may bring more bugs and disappointment, but this year gave me high hopes for our future crops of homegrown, backyard, Maryland peaches. 

It feels as though we've one the lottery.

A Tiny Little Orchard

Since last Friday was our last furlough day, we worked most of both Friday and Saturday to plant a cute little orchard out in the backyard.  We started with an existing cherry tree (which the birds absolutely love), added another cherry, two peaches, and two little apples.  Then we dug up the little apricot (which had only a handful of blooms this year) and transplanted it into the new orchard.  There is one empty spot into which I plan to grow a second apricot.  It is so satisfying to look out and see the trees growing side by side - so full of potential.

We plan to prune the trees to keep them small so they were each planted 10 feet apart.  Since we have not been able to grow fruit without spraying, we plan to use a dormant oil spray followed by the organic spray called Surround.

Of course, I'll keep you posted on the progress of  our little orchard.  Now that furloughs are over, we'll have to re-adjust to a five-day work week.  It has been wonderful for hubby to have this extra time off.  Nevertheless, his work is suffering and it is time to get back to reality.

Blooming where you are planted..

My little peach - blooming through adversity!

Out in the garden this morning, I spied my little peach tree, totally neglected last year and now engulfed in a honeysuckle- vine stranglehold.  Though the vine engulfed the entire tree, it was nevertheless struggling to bloom.  I cleared off all the honeysuckle and could have sworn I heard the little tree sigh with relief.