Beginning of Summer

This weekend we made the big move. We pulled out all of the greenhouse plants and pool deck furniture, signaling the official beginning of summer.

We're trying something a little different this year. In the spirit of thigmomorphogenesis, we are putting some new plants out by the pool. Some of our tropical fruit trees are well-rooted enough, we think, to hold up to the strong winds we occasionally get.

Fig (Ficus mysterious), jaboticaba (Plinia cauliflora), camu camu (Myrciaria dubia), citrus (Labelus missingii)

Star apple (Chrysophyllum cainito), acerola (Malpighia emarginata), Washington Navel orange 

Calamondin

Ficus mysterious

Jaboticaba (Plinia cauliflora)

It's a great time of year for flowers and foliage.

Lilac

Fothergilla gardenii

Cercis 'Appalachian Red' with owner shadows

Cercis 'Forest Pansy'

Korean Spice Viburnum (Viburnum carlesii)

Asimina triloba, Paw Paw

There is bud break on the grapes and the first spray of the year is in the books. We had the driest September-January period in Missouri in 40 years, in addition to zone-testing -9F temps in January. At least one of my varieties did not like it at all. Winter survival numbers:

• Frontenac 9/9 
• Foch 9/9
• Traminette 8/9
• Chardonel 9/9 
• Chambourcin 9/9
• Norton 42/44
• Vidal 5/36

Basal shoot on Vidal, one of five

There is no time this year to replant. Best advice I've gotten so far is just cut them back and see if they return from the base. These vines grew very well last year and in fact my plan was to devigor them a little bit by letting them fruit. Scratch that plan.