My Orchard

 

It is almost time for another spring to begin in Newport, RI, it is March 2013.  My orchard has just been pruned.  It is a private orchard with stone fruit and pome fruit.  My berry collection is an add on.  The fruit trees I am growing were selected and planted with purpose.  Needless to say, I wanted fruit, but I wanted interesting fruit.

 

I have American hybrids and a number of European varieties that have not yet caught on in the US. What is most exciting is my new white 'Honey Water' peach from China, that will be arriving this at the end of this month.  It is a 'Shui Mi Tao'.  A very juicy, but fragile, large white peach.   

 

My Apples:  Jonagold, Enterprise, Pristine, Motts Pink, and Crimson surprise.  Crimson surprise is a 'red-fleshed'apple and Motts Pink is really pink!

Apricots:  Harglow and Tomcot

Plums:  Italian Prune Plum, Reine Claude de Bavay, Mirabelle de Metz, and Mirabelle de Nancy (2).

Peaches:  Early Crawford, Belle of Georgia, Shui Mi Tao, and Elberta.

Cherry:  A fabulous 'Montmorency' classic sour cherry.

Pears:  This is a grafted pear on Quince rootstock.  The five grafted pears are all European varieties.  Flemish Beauty, Comice, Anjou, Seckel, and, Bartlett.

 

They have all just had their early spring spray of dormant oil.  This will protect them from early mites, and smother nasty insect eggs that might have 'over-wintered'.

 

My last walk about this morning only proved there is much weeding to do in the orchard, but the sun is really warm when it is out, so this chore will be easier.  I cannot wait until the orchard is in bloom this May.  The fragrance is over-whelming and a pure delight.

 

Hmmm. . . time to sharpen my tools.

 

Mrs. G