For a minute there I thought I had to get off my couch, when all the while the fact is we don't have to do anything much but keep things afloat for just a few decades more! In fact, we'd best shut up about PO, because if our offspring finds out we knew about it all along, they'll turn and wring our necks come 2036!
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 2:33 pm Post subject: Re: Citrus and Peach trees
In 12 years with a dozen mature peach trees to start with, we managed to harvest 2 peaches. Here in south Indiana, we seem to always get a late frost that kills the blooms. Bummer! When we sold that farm, I vowed to never try that again. Great strawberry country, though!
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 6:46 pm Post subject: Re: Citrus and Peach trees
Help again!!
Now I have aphids on the trees, like thousands, ants are still around. Maybe my moat went dry, I didn't look very close, but I thought there was still a bit in it.
Anyway, they weren't there until recently. Do the ants bring them to the trees? And aren't the ants in the soil multiplying now? Unless I kill every insect won't they just come back?
Joined: Nov 18, 2004 Posts: 1057 Location: Central Texas
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:02 am Post subject: Re: Citrus and Peach trees
mercurygirl wrote:
Help again!!
Now I have aphids on the trees, like thousands, ants are still around. Maybe my moat went dry, I didn't look very close, but I thought there was still a bit in it.
Anyway, they weren't there until recently. Do the ants bring them to the trees? And aren't the ants in the soil multiplying now? Unless I kill every insect won't they just come back?
What should I do? Please forgive my ignorance.
I'm so pissed!!!!!
Sorry to read you're having pest problems. Ants and aphids have a symbiotic relationship sometimes. Did you try the dried grits for the ants? Like Patience pointed out, you can spray the trees with a pepper solution, perhaps something stronger than cayenne, such as habanero.
Get some ladybugs for the aphids, otherwise you're going to have to get some pesticides.
Fortunately, I haven't had the ant/aphid problems with my citrus. I have had, however, aphids/ants attack my grapevines keeping them from producing. _________________ About my avatar: Guess.
Joined: Nov 18, 2004 Posts: 1057 Location: Central Texas
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:10 am Post subject: Re: Citrus and Peach trees
Peach blossoms survive a freeze:
The citrus are hanging in there:
The pink blossoms are on one of the Meyers lemon trees. I'm glad I haven't dismantled the hoophouse yet. There is possibly one more freeze this next week... _________________ About my avatar: Guess.
Joined: Sep 16, 2004 Posts: 4275 Location: Southwest WI
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:06 pm Post subject: Re: Citrus and Peach trees
PO'er
Got to love that TX weather. 80F one day and snow the next! Everything still asleep up here in glacier country. Have lost a lot of snowpack but the temps will be going below 0F once again later this week, before another "warm up" into the 40's. This could be it, however. I really think the turn towards spring begins soon. _________________ "Oil is going up because we use too much oil, and the capacity to replace reserves is dwindling"
-President Bush 11/07/07
Joined: Sep 16, 2004 Posts: 4275 Location: Southwest WI
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:34 pm Post subject: Re: Citrus and Peach trees
PO'er-
Not sure if you've seen this, but have a look. Not sure what kind of temps you'll be experiencing.
http://web1.msue.msu.edu/vanburen/crittemp.htm _________________ "Oil is going up because we use too much oil, and the capacity to replace reserves is dwindling"
-President Bush 11/07/07
Joined: Nov 18, 2004 Posts: 1057 Location: Central Texas
Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 6:52 am Post subject: Re: Citrus and Peach trees
The remaining peach trees are all blossoming:
Unless the weather goes weird, no more freezing weather is expected this season. You can see some pvc pipe near the bird bath, which I am keeping empty at this time. I don't want to attract birds to the peach trees. I have been laying out the 3/4" pvc irrigation pipe from the rainwater system, but am not quite done yet. Eventually I may bury the pipe.
Meanwhile, the Meyers lemons are blossoming like mad and there are three nearly ripe lemons still on the tree:
Joined: Nov 18, 2004 Posts: 1057 Location: Central Texas
Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:55 am Post subject: Re: Citrus and Peach trees
Lemon harvest update for 2008:
There is just one nearly-ripe lemon left now, but more on the way for Dec. 2008.
The lemon juice is being kept frozen in the solar-powered freezer.
Assuming 20 cal/lemon, (which may be a poor assumption since these are big lemons), that's 620 calories or about 0.05% of my annual caloric requirements. _________________ About my avatar: Guess.
Joined: Nov 18, 2004 Posts: 1057 Location: Central Texas
Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 6:31 pm Post subject: Re: Citrus and Peach trees
Above I wrote "the peach blossoms survive a freeze." Well, they didn't.
Good thing that only 5 of 13 had blossomed. The late bloomers seem to be okay.
Curious. 12 of the 13 peach trees are supposed to be of the same variety, yet started blossoming ranging over weeks. I'm guessing specific soil conditions or location can influence when the tree blossoms.
That's one baby peach!
Most of the peach trees are still blossoming, so there's hope for more... _________________ About my avatar: Guess.
Joined: Dec 27, 2004 Posts: 12009 Location: zombie horde wonderland
Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:06 pm Post subject: Re: Citrus and Peach trees
Only one of my peaches is blooming yet. My oldest tree (Reliance) has a ton of buds, but no blossoms yet. _________________ "...powerdown so soft and fluffy you'll think you're living in a pillow..." - jboogy
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