Saturday, May 25, 2013

pomegranate


I picked two pomegranates from my outside garden.  I have two trees, one in the outside garden, a bit too sheltered by the crab apple tree and the other where I can see it from the kitchen window.  I was surprised to see the two fruits mature and the seeds are so sweet and juicy.

There is quite a history to the trees.  I brought them from my old garden in pots.  They have been in the pots for at least five years.  One grew from a cutting and the other from marcotting, which is taking a cutting while the branch is still attached to the parent tree.

The tree in my old garden was given to me by a friend who needed the garden space.  It could have been twenty years ago when my friend and I dug out the well established, tree, taller than both of us.  We managed to get enough roots and trimmed off the branches so the tree could fit into the boot of my Humber Super Snipe.  The tree was planted next to the compost area and it thrived.  Sad to say the new owner of my old house has chopped down the tree.  It gave me bountiful harvest but pomegranate is not to everyone's taste.

Monday, May 20, 2013

exotic harvest


This sugar cane has about a foot of cane that can be harvested but I shall leave it alone.  More suckers are coming up and I hope they will survive the winter.  The pot is north facing and quite protected so I hope they will live to see spring and more growth.


This pot of peanut plants was planted last October.  There are three plants squashed in this pot so the harvest is small.


These peanuts are exposed with the topsoil scraped away.  Now that I know it is possible to grow them I shall sow the nuts in bigger pots next spring.


The peanut harvest is small but promising.  It is possible to grow peanuts and the pest to look out for are baby snails that are eating the leaves.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

camelia


This pink camelia is flowering at the moment and I hope the potted plant will keep flowering till the end of winter.  I suppose a topping of compost and fertilizer will lengthen its flowering period.  I have left the plant in a pot since purchasing it three years ago.  I have yet to find a spot for it in the garden.


As seen in the picture there are buds on this small bush.  I hope deadheading will encourage more buds.  In another pot is a vermilion camelia, which unfortunately, is still in the bud stage.