Fruit is Coming!

Normally by this time of the summer we are dragging hose and just trying to keep enough water on plants to keep them alive. But so far this year we've stayed wet enough to keep plants looking good and rain barrels in the greenhouse topped up. Growing degree days started accumulating late and despite some really warm temps over the past week, haven't really caught up too much. We're at 1842 since April 16 (average bud break). Also, climate change:

Despite two trips out of town, we largely stayed ahead of the beetle damage so far. We have veraison on Foch and Frontenac, but not Chambourcin:

 

Speaking of trips, we spent a few days at the Chalet. Bob and Sharon visited, and the weather and company was great.

Upon our return, we had water issues in the greenhouse. The point of failure with my demand pump is the pressure switch. The diagnosis was easy, as this has happened before. Feeling clever, I ordered not one, but three replacement switches. I didn't feel that clever when, after receiving my shipment, I found 2 more extra switches from my order the last time it failed. 

The GFCI outlet the pump uses also failed. In the process of fixing that, I fixed a stripped screw hole in the cover, making it watertight for the first time in a couple of years. The repairs were more satisfying that one would imagine.

This time of year lots of stuff fruits. Not only are grapes coming on, but we've finally got enough jaboticaba for a batch of wine. 

First time ever for a Second crop of Grumichama

Lemondrop Mangosteen

Dragonfruit

Not pictured are blackberries, because I'm embarrassed by the fact that the patch is completely overgrown. More pawpaws again this year, but I suspect it will be another month before they are ripe. 

Some of the Nortons are still struggling but we haven't lost any more vines. And in some really exciting news, we have about 5 of the cuttings take root.

Lisa and I had to work all week, but Allie and Joe were here and got some work done as well. We really enjoyed the visit, hope they did too!

Midsummer 2018

We've undertaken a remodel of the poolhouse and lanai. The columns need to be reworked due to water damage. In the poolhouse we're removing the grill, adding roll-up doors, and replacing the old warped cabinetry with new outdoor cabinets.

We plan to add a water softener and to rearrange the cabinets to allow a full size fridge/freezer.

In news of the recovery, we're up to 18 Vidal Blanc vines with signs of growth. Exciting to see the other grapes coming a long. We've already got bird netting on the Frontenac which show great color.

Despite the beetle damage, I still hope to have enough grapes for a small batch of wine.

My goal has always been to get one new fruit species per year and this year we met the goal with Garcinia intermedia, the lemon drop mangosteen. Apparently the old name was G. edulis and that is the label on this plant, which just goes to show you how long it took to get fruit. Honestly it wasn't great - inedibly sour - but I now have a second plant flowering and several more fruit set so there is hope for better fruit.

Starfruit is not a candidate for new fruit this year, but perhaps it should be. We've been without 'Kari' now for a couple of years and the new tree from Pine Island has set fruit.

Mango is another ineligible candidate. I grew 'Cogshall' for several years and finally got so irritated with it that I got rid of it. 'Cogshall' would never hold fruit to maturity. This time I went with 'Mallika' and so far it has not disappointed.

Trying a new technique - pollarding - on the lychee trees this year. Normally then get a firm prune mid-July but this time I really pruned them back very hard in an effort to get growth I can reach without a step-stool. Results in about 10 months.

We're just back from the Chalet and the post would not be complete without some Lake Michigan pictures, final pic photo credit to Bob Pierce.

A Good Food Day

Last weekend we went to the Chalet. Lake Michigan showed its many different faces. Grandma Sharon and Grandpa Bob came on Friday, when the Lake was angry, and so the afternoon was spent poking around St. Joseph.

Saturday the Lake calmed down and we stayed home. We had a delicious Bit of Swiss breakfast, followed by a nice walk. Lunch was tasty Vietnamese-style vegetarian sandwiches. The afternoon was spent on the beach (Lisa and Robert) and hanging out at the Chalet (Sharon and Bob). We broke out the wine early, starting with the 2016 Pinot grigio. Lisa and Sharon love it, but I still get the faintest hint of hay or a barnyard. Next we moved to appetizers and 2016 blueberry rosé. All agreed this was good wine, even better at the end of the bottle. Dinner was flat iron steak with tomato-fregola warm salad, accompanied by 2016 blackberry wine. I'm satisfied that this year's blackberry does not suffer the flaws of 2015. More Bit of Swiss for desert. Sharon declared it "a good food day." Indeed.