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| Operation Peach Tree! |
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| Peach Tree Repair |
We have no idea if the tape will hold or if the branches will fall over, again (especially if we have windy conditions). But, it is worth a try!
Of course, the first thing to do, before the branches could be taped, was to pick all the peaches on the broken top branches, to make sure all additional weight has been removed:
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| Peach Harvest |
Although the fruits have turned color, they are not quite ripe. They had at least two weeks to go before they would have been ripe. All are still quite firm and some are still quite green. But, M picked them all and I now have a box of peaches, waiting to be processed! I do believe that some will ripen at room temperature if left for a few days. I plan to make chutney with the rest - with my daughter's help, of course!
The fruit on the lower half of the tree were left to ripen on the tree and the lower branches were propped up a bit.
I went out into the garden when M was picking the peaches and brought some of the peaches in. M and my daughter brought the rest in.
M was here for almost two hours, tending to the peach tree and watering the garden. Daughter served him a piece of her banana bread before he left.
After he left, I warmed up some leftovers for my brunch, chatted with Aunt C and cousin N who called (and helped them with some online research cousin had asked if I could do for them), and sorted through the peaches.
In the early afternoon, I cut up a couple of the riper peaches for a snack for my daughter and myself, while standing at the kitchen counter. But, by then, my leg was starting to hurt (note to self - sit down to cut fruit, whenever possible), so I came back to the bed to rest, with my leg propped up on pillows (to reduce the swelling). I think I will spend most of the rest of the evening in bed, reading or knitting. Which is OK. I managed to do a few things, today.
Today, I am grateful for:
- Feeling better, being pain free
- M helping with the garden and taping up the peach tree in an attempt to rescue it
- The peach harvest
- Being able to help both cousins P and N
- My daughter's continued support
- What tasks I was able to accomplish today
Today's joyful activity was watching M tape up the peach tree and sorting through the peach harvest.
I haven't made any plans for tomorrow. IF I feel up to it, I might try to change my bed sheets, with daughter's help, and maybe do a load of laundry. If not, well, I can knit or read in bed!
How was your Wednesday? What are your plans for Thursday?
It certainly sounds as if you've done all you can for the little peach tree. I'm sure the picked peaches will ripen off the bough, and equally sure that under ripe fruits will make a perfect chutney! Either way, that's one very impressive harvest!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lady Ella. Yes, I think we did what we could for the tree. Poor little peach tree; it has been trying so hard! I am reminded of the plum trees growing in the garden of a lady your friend G(I think) knew of - you mentioned that her plum tree branches were breaking under the weight of the fruit and that you picked some of the plums to make jam. Was it last year? Or the year before? :)
DeleteIt was last year. Yes, I also thought of that overburdened tree. I wonder how nature lets it happen. I guess the trees produce lots of blossom in the expectation that not all of it will turn into fruit, but then some years there are optimal conditions... But it happens relatively often. I had another friend whose plum tree was always giving up whole branches to the weight. (That was how I made my first ever batch of jam!) I have seen in some public gardens that special supports are constructed beneath individual branches. It ends up looking like a child's climbing frame!
DeleteI'm impressed by your recall of all the details! You must really have been paying attention while reading - or you have an exceptionally retentive memory... Yes, it was G's friend's plum tree. I'm wondering whether there will be any harvest this year. Some wild plum trees near us fruit only every other year: glut, then nothing and so on. I still have fruit from two years ago in the freezer!
I've read that some fruit trees set more fruit than they can bear the weight of; perhaps not so much of a problem in the wild where they are dependent on nature for water, etc. But, cultivated trees that are watered and tended to should have more than half their fruit thinned! I thought we did that, but, apparently not! Last year, I had a lot of leaf drop and some fruit drop, as well, because I apparently didn't water enough! This year, I made it a point to water (and it hasn't been quite as hot as it was last year) so, maybe more fruit grew bigger. I guess we'll thin out more fruit, next year (if the tree survives).
DeleteI have a selective memory! I can remember certain details with great clarity and have no recollections of other things! :)
I never thought of that. Makes sense. Although I don't know of anyone personally who waters their fruit trees, I guess tending, spreading lime (for apples) etc. must make a big difference. I have often wondered how the wild plum trees survive without care, as the branches are forever breaking and yet disease never seems to set in. Hope the same goes for G's friend's tree! Don't know how she'd ever thin the fruit even if she wanted to. It's so tall and wide!
DeleteHmmm. Yes, I retain all sorts of trivia without effort, but not necessarily useful things, e.g. for exams!
Well, I have to water the fruit trees in my garden, especially in the summer, otherwise they'll die! M prunes the peach tree (and the citrus trees), every year. I know he's itching to prune my pomegranate tree, too, but, I didn't allow him to prune it, last year! Might let him prune it this year, however.
DeleteI guess we remember the stuff that interest us and not necessarily what we should!
It's good to read that you're still free of pain and I hope it continues. Fingers crossed the tape does the trick for the peach tree. It will be interesting to see how it gets on. X
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jules. Yes, we shall see if taping the tree works! :)
DeleteSo glad you could recover the fruit. Hoping the tree rescue holds - Yay for duct tape!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Angela. We shall see if the taping works or not. Yes, yay for duct tape! :D
DeleteI'm glad you're feeling better. As tempting as it may be, don't try to push it. Just do what you can when you can and rest when you need to. It's hard I know. Fingers crossed the peach tree can be saved. A peach pie sounds good when some of those peaches ripen. Take care. Denise
ReplyDeleteThank you, Denise. Yes, I am trying to be good and not push it! It hurt a bit when I walked around the house, this morning, so, after I had my tea and fed the cats, I came back to bed to rest!
DeleteOh, I do hope the peach tree will survive! We shall see. Peach pie does sound good, doesn't it?
Hope all is well with you and you have a lovely day.
I hope the duct tape does its magic and the tree is able to mend itself. If not, it seems like the tree has pretty good roots and will fill out again.
ReplyDeleteI, too, hope the tree will mend itself. If not, I do hope pruning the tree will encourage it to grow side branches (we might have to set up a permanent set of props for those branches, next year!)
DeleteWow, that's a lot of peaches! I hope they all ripen and hope the tape will hold and fix the tree. Glad to hear you were feeling pretty good too. Take it easy over the weekend Bless!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Martha. Yes, we picked quite a few peaches! Keeping my fingers crossed that the tree will heal!
DeleteI'm feeling OK. There was a little pain, in the morning, when I walked around a bit, so, I came back to bed and am resting! It's a bit frustrating because I can't do half the things I feel I should be doing, but, I'm learning to be patient!
I have never heard of taping a tree branch back together, but I wholeheartedly hope it works.
ReplyDeleteI am hoping it will work, Susanne. I guess it's an experiment and we'll find out! :)
DeleteI do hope the tree recovers. It's amazing what nature can do sometimes so it's hopeful.
ReplyDeleteDid the doctor say anything about the continuing pain in your leg and foot?
Thank you, Eileen; we shall find out if the tree will heal itself or not!
DeleteThe doctor said the pain will eventually go away once the inflammation goes down, but, in the meantime, do what I can, apply topical pain relief creams and patches or heating pads, take pain relievers if needed, etc. I guess it is pain management from now on! Not the most satisfactory answer, in my opinion, but, I am hoping that I will be able to do what I need to do (basic housework, etc.) without much discomfort, eventually.
The next nutrition class is all about inflammation so I will make notes if there is any mention of things that may help you.
DeleteOh, thank you, Eileen! Yes, please! One of my aunts was telling me to take turmeric - use more in my curries, etc. Also, I've read that fatty fish, leafy greens, etc., are also helpful.
DeleteI have had success taping a broken branch from a lilac that fell victim to too much snow. I hope your tree recovers well. What a crop of peaches! Are there recipes for green peaches like there are for green tomatoes? At least you have some ripe enough to eat and some that are almost ripe.
ReplyDeleteI hope P's daughter has recovered from her tummy upset. Two years ago we were in Buenos Aires and first DH and then I got tummy upsets and I asked for ginger ale - no luck. Ginger tea? No luck. I went searching in the stores near the hotel and still couldn't find any ginger in any shape or form and had to buy lemon-lime soda instead. I should research if they ever use ginger at all there!
Oh, that is so good to know that you've had success with taping a branch! We might still end up pruning the peach tree rather severely, but, we shall see how it works out!
DeleteYes, I have been searching for some green peach recipes and there seems to be some for pickles, relishes, etc. I am going to try making a curry, as well - we make green mango curry in Sri Lanka.
I spoke with P this morning and she said her daughter had recovered and had gone to work. That's interesting about the lack of ginger in Buenos Aires! Lemon-lime soda works well enough though. I remember my mother used to give me lime (or lemon) juice with salt for an upset tummy when I was a child.
I hope the tape works and will be curious to follow along with it's progress.
ReplyDeleteI continue to be amazed at that young peach tree's fruit production! It is a hard working tree for sure.
I'm glad you were able to do a few things today. It must've felt good to get back to a more normal day. I think you were smart to then rest your leg and yourself in bed.
Thank you, Debra. The tree is still standing! :) There are still more peaches on the lower branches that have not been picked, yet!
DeleteI am still not doing a lot, but, I did walk around the house, a couple of times, and felt OK. I am going to give myself the long weekend off, and then, see what I can do, next week.