Site change

Hello all of my readers. I have recently renovated my website and would like you all to stop by and go for a tour. I have been updating the blog rather consistently on the web site.

Thank you for your interest and I hope you are happy with the new setting for my blog!
Gregory
www.nativerootdesigns.com

Pruning tips

A great article from the Flower World website makes some interesting points:

1. Pruning in the winter stimulates the most growth—good for fruit trees, not so great for ornamental trees/shrubs! With fruit trees it works because you can then thin to desired new growth and keep new fruiting spurs developing while cycling out the older ones.

2. Pruning in midsummer is the time that pruning stimulates the least amount of growth.

3. Prune the areas of the tree where new growth is desired.

4. Keep trees thinned to let light and air into the entire canopy.

A nicely written article that includes the basics of clean cuts to laterals and general caution prior to removing branches.

September Harvests

It is so easy to think of Summer ending in September here in the Pacific Northwest have such rich bounty coming from our gardens this month it is certainly still Summer to me. The dryness on the leaves has started it's slow transition into fall colors. The sun is hanging much lower in the sky making it blinding most of the day and backlighting plants from nearly all sides. The lighting is dramatic the gardens are lush and bursting at the seams. I am still waiting for my a last Aster to open it's little starry flowers and then all five will be blooming. Sunflowers are a lovely plant, they fall all over but that just gives me an excuss to cut them.
We harvested loads of Tomatoes and I definitely have a favorite this year; Pruden's Purple. It had six larger than fist sized perfect Tomatoes on it the other day that made the sweetest large bowl of Salsa! All our Tomatoes are producing pretty well and the fruit is excellent. I am planning to sow in some Fava Bean cover crop in one of our beds for the winter but I am waiting to see if I get any Blue Corn before I pull it. Our beans are still going strong Rattlesnake is a winner, perfect texture and flavor for fresh eating; aka grazing!
With darkness at six am it's nice that most of the garden is holding it's own, resting at it's peak before it comes crashing down in the fall. All we have to do is enjoy the views and share the harvest.