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| Shade for the Persimmon Tree |
We tried. We really tried to save the persimmon tree. M put up the patio umbrella over it to give it some shade and we hung some tulle around it, too, to keep the fruit from getting scorched. But, the summer heat was brutal and, although it formed more fruit this year than in previous years, it withered and dried up.
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| Too Hot and Dry |
The last of the persimmons were picked several days ago and the leaves had all turned brown. In the past week, all the leaves dropped. On Wednesday, we tried to prune it, cutting away the obviously dead twigs, hoping to find some green wood somewhere on the tree, but, it was completely dead. Even the roots, when M dug up the tree, were dead.
I might get a replacement Fuyu persimmon tree, next year. But, we won't plant it in the same spot.
Since I had watered the back garden on Tuesday, M didn't need to water and he concentrated on pruning and trimming back some plants. He also brought me two more succulents for the garden; apparently, one of his other clients had wanted him to thin them out.
I did some laundry on Wednesday, washing quilts, pillows, and bedsheets. Then we remade daughter's bed with fresh sheets. I say "we" because I had some help making the bed:
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| "I'm helping Mummy smooth out the sheet" |
You can count on Dancer to lend a helping paw when needed!
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| Checking if the comforter is snuggly enough |
Thank you for all your help, Dancer Kitty.
On Wednesday, I was grateful for:
- Time spent in the garden
- M's help with the garden
- This year's persimmons (who knew they'd be the little tree's last hurrah?)
- M's help with the garden
- This year's persimmons (who knew they'd be the little tree's last hurrah?)
- Working appliances
- Dancer's help with making beds!
- Dancer's help with making beds!
Today's joyful activity was spending time in the garden. It was warmer outside than inside the house, on Wednesday morning, so I sat in the garden and said my prayers in the sunshine.
Plans for Thursday include a blood test. I thought it was appropriate to schedule a blood test on Halloween!
Happy Halloween to those who celebrate it!
What a shame about the persimmon tree, even though you did whatever you could to try and save it. I brought my lemon trees into the back porch a couple of weeks ago, and just yesterday I lifted them off the ground to protect the roots (one of them is too tall to go on the shelf). I'm hoping next year I might finally see some fruit. If not, then I will need to be patient for a while longer.
ReplyDeleteWell done Dancer for helping to change the sheets. I've just had to 'remove' a certain black cat from the blanket box. It doesn't contain blankets, but my ghost costume is in there :)
I hope your blood test goes well. Xx
Thank you, Jules. Yes, but, maybe I should have watered it more deeply/more often. I don't know.
DeleteOh, I do hope your lemon trees will produce lemons, next year! How exciting that would be!
Halloween is Boo's holiday, isn't it? I'm sure he took good care of your ghost costume. :)
Such a shame you've lost your persimmon tree, Well done Dancer, you are such a good help to your Mummy :)
ReplyDeleteI know, Eileen, but, I suppose I should be glad that I didn't lose any of the other trees. I honestly don't know how I'd manage if I didn't have Dancer to help me! :D
DeleteDancer is quite the helper, isn't he? :)
ReplyDeleteOh, he is, June! Always there to lend a helping paw!
DeleteI am sorry you lost your persimmon tree, but at least you know where NOT to plant it next time! Have a nice Halloween and watch out for the vampires who will draw blood today!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Anne. Yes, we now know where not to plant the next persimmon tree! They drew four vials of blood, today! I hope you, too, had a fun Halloween. :)
DeleteOh I'm sorry the persimmon tree didn't make it. You could plant a different fruit tree in that spot, something more heat tolerant.
ReplyDeleteI can see that Dancer is very helpful with bed making! So is my cat!
Thank you, Celie. I think that a citrus tree might do well in that area. We shall have to see. I'm glad to hear that your kitty, too, helps with the bedmaking! What would we do without our helpers?
DeleteOh what a pity. It was doing so well. I do hope you have better luck with a new tree in a different position. Those in southern Japan experience blistering summers too, but I suppose less well-established trees must struggle wherever they are. I found persimmons in the supermarket today, for the first time this year - £1.19 for three in case you are interested. I bought three for myself and three for Mum :o)
ReplyDeleteI know, Lady Ella; it seemed to be doing so well, this year, but, I think, in addition to the heat, it might have had to cope with insufficient water. I am glad you found persimmons in the supermarket, today! That sounds like a reasonable price for them. One of the local ethnic stores is selling them for $0.99/lb. this week. Depending on the size, I think about 3 of them would be around 1 lb.? I hope that you and your Mum enjoy them. :)
DeleteIt's hard to know what best to do re. watering sometimes. They say if you give too much in the early stages, plants have no incentive to put down deep roots, because the moisture is readily available at the top, so they are susceptible to failure later on. However, obviously if you are not generous enough, young plants don't stand much chance to even get that far! I don't know if you can rig something up which channels the water lower into the ground in future. How about the watering bags that the council put in place for the front trees? Or maybe some upturned plastic bottles buried in the earth on either side, but I'm not sure whether they would reach deep enough. (The more I write this, the more I think we may have had a similar conversation before! Sorry if so.)
DeleteAs to persimmons, my three weigh 18oz, so your ethnic store probably works out a bit cheaper (haven't checked the exchange rate lately). Cheapest of all would be to go to Ehime and wait for people to thrust them into our hands for nothing! 😈 Shame about the air fare!
BTW, how are the council's trees doing now?
I read watering instructions and most say water 2-3 times a week and provide 12-18 gallons of water a week. Fuyu persimmons are supposed to be drought tolerant once established, but, I guess mine wasn't quite established!
DeleteWe have discussed burying water bottles and I tried that with my moringa tree with limited success. I might try a watering bag. The council trees are doing OK; they were out here, this morning, filling the watering bags. I think they fill them every other week.
There is something very entertaining about making a bed with the help of a cat. I'm sure it is healthy to be in a position where one must just resign oneself to the situation and enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteHe hasn't been on that bed in weeks, but, the moment he heard me spread out the sheet, he was there! He's too funny! Accepting the situation and enjoying it is something I try to do when my neighbors play their music! They've been rather quiet, lately, though! I shouldn't jinx it!
DeleteI sure hate that about your tree. Hope your tests went well. Always great to see Dancer! Hope Dancer is feeling good!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mandy. The garden keeps evolving. I should find out the results of the tests, next week, when I see my doctor. Dancer is doing as well as can be expected, thank you. :)
DeleteOh that's a shame about your persimmon tree. You really tried, you and M, to protect it and keep it going but sometimes it's just not to be.
ReplyDeleteDancer is such a good helper. Good Cat, Dancer!
Thank you, Debra. Yes, we were so hopeful about the persimmon tree this year as it flowered well and had more fruit on it than in previous years. But, I suppose the weather was too harsh for it, this year. We might try again, with a new tree, planted in a different spot.
DeleteDancer is my helper kitty! :)