Plum pretty!

The Plum tree is really showing off it’s blooms today in hopes of attracting some bees. It’s such a beautiful morning how can they resist being out doing their work?

What can you do with all those limbs?

You're all done with the tree pruning but what can you do with all the debris? Depending on how much space you have or the needs you have you can put all of those limbs to various uses. We have a very small yard so some will be chipped and the chips composted or put in pathways, some will become Bean or Pea trellises and if I were crafty some could become baskets, wreaths or furniture. After debarking the larger pieces can be used to smoke meats and fish.

Some ideas that may be work for you!

1. Hugelkultur raised garden beds - there really isn't a good place in my yard for utilizing this idea, but I would love to hear from any on my readers who plan to or have already put one in. The bonus is that you can scale this to your own use. I keep this up and I’ll have to find a place to put one! Here is a link to one of the many sites that explain Hugelkulture:
 http://www.agrowingculture.org/2013/04/hugelkultur-the-composting-raised-beds/

2. Wattle Fencing - It's not a long lived fence, lasting just 2-5 years, but what a great way to use up those smaller limbs. Will make a post in the near future of my attempt at making a wattle fence.

My first attempt at a wattle fence ~ to support the peas 

3. Wreaths and small projects - We all like doing crafts and one of my daughters created this little twig frame with a few additions of flowers and a stuffed bear it will make a cute gift, from the heart.

4. Furniture - Have to get back to you on that... I've seen wonderful twig furniture but have never tried making any.

5. Smoking meats/fish - The bark must be removed or you will get a bitter flavor. More on that in future post!

To Prune or not to Prune ~ When, is the Question!

So many different schedules for pruning your fruit trees! You might well ask why. The question is fairly simple to answer, it depends on the types of fruit trees you have and your local growing season. Personally I like to prune in the spring and summer when the trees will be growing and will heal faster rather than the fall when they are getting ready to go dormant.

It's best not to over prune, you don't want to cut more than 1/3rd of the live growth:
     1. Cut out any dead branches and branches that are rubbing against others.
     2. Thin out the extra new shoots from the year before.
     3. Trim the tall branches down, depending on the height you need/want the tree to be.

Spring pruning will tell the trees to put on new growth and will spur them to heal over the wounds from pruning. Summer pruning will be less likely to spur water shoots (suckers.)

If you have some branches that you really need/want to keep but they are just too close to other branches you can use a piece of lath wood (notched at both ends) as a "spreader" to push them apart.

1. Apple, Cherry & Plum/Prune: Produces fruit on the fruit spurs from old wood.

2. Apricot, Nectarines & Peaches: Produces fruit on the new growth from the year before.

Chives, Garlic Chives and Garlic Propagation

Chives are easily propagated by division, they will also seed themselves, so if you want to save some seed allow them to bloom (bees love them) and watch for the blooms to fade and the little black seeds to start dropping. Divide by gently digging a smaller clump (5-10 plants/bulbs) away from the main clump in the spring or early fall, replant in the desired location. Remember, you can put some in pots and bring them in the house for winter herbs! They like well drained potting soil and bright light.

Garlic Chives

Garlic Chives are also easy to propagate by division and will reseed themselves if the blooms are left to seed. As with Chives bees & butterflies love the small star shaped flowers and so might you! They are a tasty addition to a spring salad. They have a flat grass like leaf, not hollow like Chives and white blossoms. The bulbs on Garlic Chives are not edible.

Garlic with bulblets

Garlic is another easy plant to divide. Depending on the variety you have they will also drop little bulbs and propagate themselves. When you are harvesting your garlic pick out some of the largest cloves to save for your fall planting for next years harvest. You can harvest the bulblets and plant them but they will take a couple of years before you get good sized cloves. If you want some fresh garlic taste early in the spring, harvest the leaves to add to your salads, stir fry.