Peachy Keen

June Pride Peach Tree-Bird Back 40

There is only one thing that I can think of in this world that's better than a tree full of ripening peaches. It would have to be a peach tree, loaded with peaches, that is doubling in size.

Why is this such a good thing? DUH! More peaches next year! When it comes to growing fresh peaches in the backyard, one tree full of peaches is never enough. Two or three trees is just about right.

There is something rather strange and exciting taking place in the Bird Back 40 this 2012 spring season. The peach trees that the wife that is Venus and I planted some four years ago are -- for some reason -- both growing like weeds. It's enough to make a amateur peach grower wonder: Why didn't this happen last year? The year before? Why this year?

Exponential Peach Tree Growth

Both the June Pride and O'Henry peach trees are finally beginning to take off in terms of new growth. And while that may not mean much in terms of peach production this year, it almost certainly portends good things to come next year and in the years to follow.

I still haven't begun to figure out why certain fruit trees will grow an inch one year and then two feet the next. Does it have anything to do with fertilization? Water? Perhaps they're just in a really good mood? Those love songs I croon to them in the dead of night (sorry neighbors)?

Not that I'm complaining mind you. I'd always been somewhat distressed by the lack of growth in both Bird Back 40 peach selections. Don't peach trees get any bigger than this? Hey! Look at that Royal Rainier Cherry tree planted some 30 feet away! It grew ten feet last year! Why can't you do that June Pride?

Perhaps the shame worked.

Ripening O'Henry Peach

It also might be the fertilization schedule that I adopted last year at the advice of Folsom City Arborist Ken Menzer. His point was, why fertilize fruit trees once or twice and then stop? Why not fertilize them once a month? Why not try a cocktail of different fertilizers? If the liquid organic fertilizers are so successful with tomato crops, try feeding the same mixture to the fruit and citrus trees.

Menzer's message has largely been a blessing. It's not just the peach trees that are literally reaching for the sky this spring. The table grapes -- now entering their third year of growth -- are putting on a show I've never quite witnessed. Several of the citrus trees are reacting in the same manner. The Dancy Mandarin, for example, has now grown so large that I will need a ladder to harvest the production at the top of the tree.

New Fruit Bearing Branches-June Pride Peach

Although the mockingbirds that curse the Bird Back 40 are casting a hungry glance at the June Pride and O'Henry peaches that are slowly growing into maturity this season -- I dare not throw a net over these trees. While netting does preserve a crop for "humans only" it also tends to bend branches in a downward direction. What had been a ten foot tall tree loses a foot or three once the netting is removed.

Short and sweet? Those new branches that are green and pliable have been bent in a terrible direction for so long that they're not going to "straighten up and fly right" again. So -- the net stays off. The mockingbirds will probably knock half the crop off the tree -- a tragedy no doubt. But my "new growth" patience will pay off with larger harvests in the years to come.

What more could anyone ask? What's better than fresh peach pie? Two peach pies!

I'm such a glutton!

That Sweet, Sweet Payoff

And so it begins. Summer fresh fruit season has arrived at last at our North Natomas homestead -- and despite our misadventure with the Lapin Cherry tree earlier this year -- this harvest looks sweet.

Sweet as bubblegum that is.

This year's harvest of Santa Rosa plums will not be a large one -- not hardly. Larger than last year? By all means. But what is really impressive this year is the size of these suckers. They darn near look like nectarines.

I have been watching and patiently waiting for the Santa Rosa harvest for a couple of weeks now. Unlike last year -- I didn't want to jump the gun and harvest a plum that really could have used another week or two on the tree.

Nope -- I'm looking for that special type of harvest -- a special time -- when the fruit is both sweet and tart. If you pick too early? Lots of tart -- no sweet. If you pick it too late? Sweet fruit -- yes -- but also kind of mushy.

And -- usually -- the birds have beaten you too it. Not the North Natomas Birds -- but those of the feathered variety.

Actually -- I am kind of surprised. Although we have several finch families nesting nearby -- they've largely left the plums alone. Nothing has been knocked to the ground yet and only one plum has suffered from a single "peck."

Those are pretty good results.

The harvest of the Santa Rosa plum tree -- or any fruit tree for that matter -- is the final payoff following months of special care and attention. Oh sure -- I know for a fact that there are fruit trees that get absolutely no care and attention whatsoever -- and still manage to turn out a boatload of fresh fruit.

Most of the time? It goes uncollected and "plops" to the ground below. Or it turns into bird food.

But in my case? I care. I can be accused of "caring too much," but this year's harvest is the result of pruning efforts during the winter, extensive fertilization, regular watering, pest control to knock the buggies off and perhaps a midnight dance or love song sung from the front yard porch.

Crazy? Who? Me? Yeah, the neighbors think the same thing too.

But that sweet payoff came just last night. Venus and I both discovered a plum that had the slightest give to a light squeeze. Off with its head!!! Actually -- we picked it -- brought it inside -- cleaned it and sliced it in two.

When the pit popped right out with nary an effort? We both knew -- right then -- that summer fruit season was underway. One bite of one perfectly ripe plum is enough to convince you that all the work -- time and effort was worth it. There are lots of plums and plum trees mind you -- but ours is the best.

This is our all important third year harvest of the Santa Rosa plum. It's not all that large because Venus and I hacked the tree back into a more manageable size over the winter -- cutting away a lot of the growth that would have produced a boatload of hard-to-reach plums this summer. We knew our pruning efforts would result in a reduced harvest -- but it's one of those things that just had to be done.

While the tree will need additional pruning later this summer -- it's now growing in the direction that we want. Rather than have it grow UP -- Venus and I have trimmed and pruned to the point where the tree is growing out in an almost perpendicular direction.

Still to come? Grafting efforts of other plum varieties that will extend the sweet harvest. But we'll save that for another day.

As for now? Time for that sweet, sweet payoff.