Sanctuary Gardener Update ~ 4/27/15

The sun finally came out earlier in the week, and my seedlings are lapping up the rays. I’ve had to water a few times this week (as the seedling roots are still shallow), and all are doing well. Yesterday, I did my first complete walk-through of the garden, and I was surprised at some of the things I found!

WHAT’S NEW:

While examining my apple trees for any signs of insects or disease, I found several tiny apples on my Pink Lady apple tree! (Still waiting for apples on my Granny Smith tree.)

Pink Lady apple

I also found grape buds on two of my three vines!

Concord grape buds

Marquis grape buds

Remember the cutting I took from last year’s Black Krim tomato plant (which is now two plants)? The original cutting has its first tomato! A tomato growing in April. WOW!

First Black Krim tomato ~ from cutting off last year’s plant

My Tiny Tim Tomatoes have buds now. They’re the first tomato plants (from seed) that have buds.

Tiny Tim tomato buds

I have my first pepper! It’s a Hot Cherry pepper.

Hot Cherry pepper ~ my first

I’m still waiting for my last nursery order to arrive before I can plant my main shade garden. Meanwhile, I have pots of Silver Scrolls huechera (coral bells) waiting to be transplanted, and one of them is budding.

Silver Scrolls huechera bud

IN THE GARDEN:

During the week, I noticed that my mason bee house has a second egg in one of the cells.

Mason bee house ~ second egg in a cell

I pruned my key lime trees, cutting off all the dead wood and leaving the main trunk. For some reason, the new growth is coming in more rapidly on one tree than on the other.

Key lime trees pruned

My raspberry canes are covered in flowers. These are done flowering and getting ready to make berries.

Raspberry flowers ~ soon to be berries

My Reliance grape vine (the only one without grape buds so far) seems to be getting downy mildew…already. Time to apply baking soda foliar spray this coming week.

Reliance grape leaves with downy mildew

My apple trees have something going on with them because the leaves are developing brown spots, and the tips are browning and curling. I’m new to fruit growing, so I’m asking for help from any of my readers. Does anyone know what this might be? Disease or nutritional deficiency?

Pink Lady apple leaf with brown tip

Granny Smith apple leaves turning brown

My Tom Thumb peas are starting to bloom again. More peas on the way!

Tom Thumb peas flowering

I finally got a picture of Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal at my new bird bath. Granted, it’s taken from inside my house, zoomed in. But I’m happy I got any picture of them.

Cardinal couple at my new bird bath

GARDEN BOUNTY:

This week, I decided to trim the oregano plants I have growing along my front walkway because they were getting so tall. About three-quarters of the plants are spicy oregano; the rest is regular oregano. I harvested 1 1/4 pounds of oregano!

Oregano harvest

IN THE KITCHEN:

Yes, you know it….I spent quite a bit of time drying all that oregano. I dried half in my dehydrator (filling it up), and the other half I dried in my oven in several batches. When I was done, I had two pint Mason jars full of dried oregano leaves.