Sunday, March 22, 2009

100 Year Old Gravensteins







Hi Folks, been outside enjoying our spring-like weather. Its been sunny, rainy, sunny, rainy, sunny, well you get the point. Typical for Portland this time of year, so I've been told.
In my travels around Mt. Tabor, a bit of a hill just east of where we live, as I was huffing up on my bike, I chanced to look to the side as I was passing this old house. Well, what was in front of the house but these crazy, gnarled, clearly very old...... apple trees. I almost went by, but then felt the obligation to share the experience on this newly created fruit blog, so take a look. 100 year old Gravensteins, standard of course, from the original farm dating back to 1903. Take faith people, even these trees are still bearing fruit! Look at the trunks of these things. There is nothing there! So these are the official mascots for Fruitful Labor. Tenacious, old, fruitful, and a little worn out, but still keeping on. I love it!!

I thought talking about planting a fruit tree might be a good subject, but for most of us, that season is just about over. The Dormant season, is what I am talking about, where the leaves are off the tree and they are just sticks. Well dormant is a little bit of a misnomer. The tree is dormant above ground, but below ground, unless you freeze solid, is ablaze in activity of new root growth. Feeder roots, the roots that provide water and nourishment for the tree, extend well beyond the edge of the canopy, or drip line (that farthest point from the trunk where water would drip off the leaves). Some sources say feeder roots are found up to 4 times the radius of the drip line! I once worked on an orchard where every year they ripped the isles between the rows of trees. Ripping is using a tractor to pull an implement with large bars up to 3 ft in length through the soil, like a big comb. Ripping the soil loosens hard pan, tractor pan, and as they say in the ag business 'tight' soils. Well this orchard never produced fruit, or very little. This was because they were ripping out the feeder roots every year with the tractor. The year they stopped ripping the orchard, fruit started appearing on the trees. The trees could now feed the little growing embryos of forming fruit.
Feeding fruit trees in important to maintain fruit production. This being the Active Season for tree roots, is a great time to fertilize, mulch, and encourage root growth. The first 5 years of tree growth are critical to proper fruit tree development. Like a child, all the naughty habits are learned then. The first 5 years should see rapid and lots of growth, development of tree structure, which I will talk about in later blogs, and forming of scaffold limbs. After 5 years, tree maintenance is mostly about keeping the height in check, maintaining fruit buds, and long term nourishment of the tree.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Spring Rains Bring Spring Flowers

For those of you who live in the Southern regions of our fair country and even for us who live in the Northwest, the flowers are starting to pop. For sure more slowly here in the Northwest than down south. My friends in Richmond, CA already have Peach blossoms! Yum. Here in Portland, the earliest of plums, usually Japanese or the red varieties of plums, are just at the 'popcorn' stage. The flowers from a distance, if you squint or just have bad eyesight, look like popcorn. The procession of flowers is just beginning, and will continue on for some months. The latest of bloomers, at least here in the Northwest, will be those figs, pomegranates if we're lucky, and the later variety of apples. As a general rule, the earlier the flower, the earlier the fruit.

Why do I bring up flowers when this is a fruit blog? Well, flowers, having the ovaries, will eventually bear the fruit which we all want, right?! Now is the critical time when the fruit begins, the most delicate dance with flower and pollinator, both of which are subject to the whims of nature. Almost poetic. Take a look outside. What is the weather like. Here in Portland, it is raining like mad and cool around 50 F. Now rain can knock off flowers, cause blossom rot, or prevent pollinators from doing their job. Cool temperatures, generally below 50 F, can prevent pollinators from flying/moving. The weather at blossom time will influence the fruit.

I want to note here that pollinators can mean more than European honey bees or Apis mellifera. I know folks are really worried about the bees, but mason bees, native hover flies, native ground dwelling bees, serphid flies, flies, beetles, and wasps also play a large role in pollination, so give the bugs a break. Most of the bees native to America are ground dwelling. A good way to promote their habitat is a good rock pile left alone. Ground disturbance destroys their nests. It is also good to have beneficial plants that flower around the same time as your fruit trees, making the area even more enticing to pollinators and provide habitat.

Even with the change in climate we are experiencing, it is good to note and remember your spring weather. This will be key to selecting varieties of fruit that are suited to your region. The extension offices of your county should have a really good list of suitable fruits for your area. If not, look to a local nursery and see what they are selling, though they tend to push the envelope a bit on what is appropriate. If that doesn't help, go to a farmers market and ask around for farmers with fruit trees. They'll be sure to know.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Welcome To Fruitful Labor!

Welcome to the inaugural posting of Fruitful Labor. Our ultimate goal is to promote the widespread use and production of fruit in the urban setting. With the growing fervor for 'DIY' and the fervor desire for food production knowledge (at least in Portland, OR), I want to offer a business that fosters the education and production of Fruit Culture. Fruitful Labor offers consultation, education, and a maintenance service for the urban fruit grower. Our services include:
  • Site Inspection/Tree Inspection
  • Planting
  • Tree/Plant Selection
  • Landscaping
  • Fertilization
  • Soil Testing
  • Fruit Tree Training
  • Fruit Thinning
  • Pruning (Dormant & Non-Dormant Season)
  • Pest/Disease Management
  • Harvesting
  • Removal/Debris Hauling
  • Pollinator/Bee-Keeping Service
To reach Fruitful Labor, please email your information and a brief description of services needed to: j_iott@hotmail.com. Please see 'Profile' for a detailed resume.