After an explosive season of blossoms from plums, apples, and other fruit, we're well on our way toward a bumper crop this season.
I photographed two apple trees in our driveway when they were in full bloom. These pictures were taken on May 1.
The flowers were thick with pollinators – honeybees as well as wild bees, various types of flies, and who knows what else. All I know is we could stand under these trees and listen to the loud humming of all the various insects.
Can you see the honeybee (lower center) in this photo?
As a result of all this insect industry, the fruit is beginning to set. I went around a couple days ago and photographed some of the baby fruit we have so far.
I started with the four beds of strawberries in the garden.
These are ever-bearing varieties, not June-bearing, but the first wave of fruit will also ripen in June.
The two apple trees, whose blossoms were shown at the top of the post, are now busy producing fruit.
Lots and lots of baby apples.
We have a massive plum tree in our driveway. Last summer, I photographed it when it was heavy-laden with fruit.
It looks like this year, while perhaps not matching last year in terms of sheer volume, will still be highly productive.
Our older apple trees, the ones we had professionally pruned a few years ago, are also producing heavily. A few weeks ago, they had lots of blossoms.
Now they have lots of baby apples.
Of the four (different kinds of) peach trees we planted a few years ago, all are thriving, though two are significantly bigger than the others.
But all four are producing fruit, so much so that I may have to thin some out lest they get too heavy for the branches. Peaches are, hands down, my all-time favorite fruit, so it's gratifying to see a hearty crop.
The blueberries spent the last few weeks blossoming heavily.
After last year's bumper crop of 92.5 lbs., I'm braced to get even more this year.
The fruit-set is very heavy. Normally I start picking around the end of June, with the harvest lasting until very early September.
That's all the baby fruit we have around us at the moment. The other major fruit category around here – blackberries – won't flower until mid-summer and won't be ready to pick until last August or early September.
Seasons of bounty!
Bountiful blessings! I'm so very happy for you and Don.
ReplyDeleteWe had a late, hard freeze here in SW Idaho. Lost all of our apricots, all of the plums, most of our peaches (might get half a dozen off two trees) and it killed my apple tree that was in full bloom. It's like being mugged by six dwarves...not happy.
ReplyDeleteLooks like another Great year for you. Here in N. Fl the blackberries grow differently. We are still in a bad drought this year, and I didn't think we would have much of anything. But Praise GOD we have had a few downpours that are greatly appreciated, as well as for slowing the wildfires in the area. And now the blackberries are ready for picking!!! Here they are ready at Memorial Day if we are getting them. And while I will have about two weeks for picking, after that everything is up for grabs with the horses, dogs, birds, squirrels and bugs. And I am talking about all wild blackberries.
ReplyDeleteHope you have enough jars!
ReplyDeleteNow if you already had chickens there would be plenty of fruit peels and such to make their day! Mine love fruit (no seeds tho because they are too small for the arsenic), all of the above plus melons. They also love any kind of squash and much more. Lately they're pigging on their feed soaked in buttermilk or yogurt thinned down. Plus berries since that's all that survived the hot weather followed by a deep freeze!
I'm going to ferment the older powdered milk and give it to them since they love it so and I'm paring down.
Your pictorial essay today filled me with joy. Thank you for sharing it with us!
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