Tag Archives: Claygate Pearmain

2015 Orchard Season in Review

The 2015 orchard season started with a fairly good spring followed by an abnormally wet early summer, then had an extended dry spell as autumn progressed. Insect and disease pressure was moderate and reasonably controlled by occasional spraying. European Apple … Continue reading

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Of pruning and migrations

Today was dormant orchard pruning day at Rurikia. With over 20 trees it is usually better approached as an off and on activity a tree or two at a time over a few weeks as winter winds down, with each … Continue reading

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2014 mid-season orchyard report

For the first time in several years the orchyard entered July with plenty of water. The trees and vines are green, the grass is green, and the garden is green (perhaps slightly too green thanks to rampant weed growth!). Unfortunately … Continue reading

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Random Food of the Day

A Claygate Pearmain apple

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September Spring part 2 – now it’s the apples

First the Moonglow pear, now the apples – Porter’s Perfection, Claygate Pearmain, and Vandevere have all decided to bloom in September.

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July 2010 apple tree scab and fireblight survey

In early July 2010 I noticed some fireblight and spent an afternoon surveying the orchard for general condition of the trees and paid particular attention to the level of scab and fireblight present. Several of the trees had been fairly … Continue reading

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Determined deer and ruthless raccoons

When I began the orchyard I was most concerned with animal damage from mice or rabbits gnawing the bark and I fashioned tree guards from various materials, with ¼ inch hardware cloth being the most satisfactory. Deer came into the … Continue reading

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An Antique Apple Addiction

I first came across the concept of “antique” apples when I was looking for the variety Elstar to plant in the first expansion of my orchard. I had heard of “heirloom” and “old fashioned” plants before, but “antique” was a … Continue reading

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