The Fruit Garden

Overview ~
There is a little orchard area at the paddock. It is a tough place to thrive due to lots of water in the winter and lots of dry in the summer. So far growing there are some very hardy trees. We have apples - two Granny Smiths and one Braeburn, one orange - navel, two guava - one each red and yellow, two blueberry, one raspberry, one boysenberry, one blackcurrant and one blackberry. A feast for the cheeky birds! The strawberry patch is located in the vege garden .

Update:
There have been more trees added to the garden. An apricot, 2 more peaches (Golden Queen and Blackboy), a cherry, a plum and 2 pears. I am training the pear trees to have horizontal branches so they stay low keeping the fruit within picking distance as they grow very tall. Also the hens are back in here, hopefully to stay this time and they might be able to roost on the lower branches.

Happenings 2016
The last growing season has been fabulous for all the fruit trees. This is the first year we have had such delicious peaches. I don't know it's name but the peaches on the little tree just got bigger and bigger. I netted the tree to keep the busy beaks out and was rewarded with big, juicy flavourful fruit. It was eaten fresh and in peach cobbler. The apple trees are all loaded, the braeburn are crisp, sweet, tart and juicy, delish straight from the tree. I'm waiting for the granny's and pies!

The pear trees have grown well and are looking very healthy although there is only one fruiting. Maybe pears varieties mature differently.

Happenings 2013
Darn bird is in the grapes again! He makes me get cIose enough to poke him with a stick before he moves. I have not netted this year as my broken leg doesn't feel stable enough to climb over the pergola yet. Grrr... he's going to get more than me!

I think I will tie down the cherry tree branches the same as the pear. They are already very high and I am going to have to net those cos that darn bird nicked off with the 5 cherries that had grown.

October - I have tied down the cherry and it is blossoming madly. Very pretty and with a bit of luck I will get to taste the fruit which will follow. The pears, grape, fejoas and apricot have new leafy growth. The golden queen peach, omega plum, lemon, orange, boysenberry and apples all have blossom. The blackboy peach is still totally bare.

Happenings 2012
All fruit trees have made good growth, most have had a lot of fruit, especially fejoas, braeburn apple, boysenberry and lemons. Grapes have been brilliant! Loads of grape jelly. However there is also a blackbird who lives in the vine, bad bird! I netted to keep him out, but felt sorry for him though, so I gave him a bunch every now and then ;)

Not so good were the blackberry and raspberry, they have disappeared, they were weeded over by rampant buttercup. The blueberry bushes never grew to account for much. I think we will have to ammend the soil drastically to suit them. They like peaty soil, not like ours at all. The orangeberry were all massive foliage but no sign of any fruit. They are extremely rampant plants and were taking over so I pulled them out and biffed them.

Happenings 2007
The young apple trees flower well but tend to drop the fruit while it is still very small. Better head back to the garden books and instead of looking at the pictures, maybe I should concentrate on the text? As I write this I see birds!

Happenings 2006
The apple trees have put on a small amount of growth, they need more water, more regularly.There are wee buds on the guavas which should produce flowers and fruit in the coming season.

The blackberries and orangeberries have put on lots of growth over the Summer, so they should be thinking about oodles of flowers this year.

Fejoa bushes are ready to plant...just have to find the time! Ditto with the Kiwi fruit.

Happenings 2005
I have been picking boysenberries and raspberries! The raspberries are absolutely delicious! The boysenberries are a wee bit tart but still yummy. The apple trees are still holding on to their very small fruit. Not sure if I should have left the fruit on or removed it for the first few years. Blackberry is flowering and the orangeberry is just growing.

Happenings 2004
Strawberries have been very successful, although most of them never quite made the plate.The boysenberries are loaded with fattening fruit, as are the raspberries. All apple trees have small red apples on them...hope the coddling moth doesnt recognise them as food yet! Blueberries have fruit up the whole length of their branches.