Putting my apple trees to sleep

Happy New Year everyone! This year has given some serious cold weather that is very unusual for central Florida. Just as I was beginning to think that winter was nowhere in sight, wham! a hard freeze here in the Low Chill Orchard. I had temps all the way down to 27F and for a very extended time thru the night. The apple trees in my backyard orchard were hit a little off guard and some of the leaves were damaged. I made an executive decision to just go by hand and pick every leaf off of the trees to force the trees into dormancy. After removing the leaves I also mixed 1oz. of copper spray to a gallon of water in my pump sprayer and lightly coated each tree after some detail winter pruning of course. So for now I say good night to my trees for what is started as an unusual winter.

Cold temps on the way!

A couple of days ago I posted that my lemon tree was in full bloom and I was not kidding. I also said that the temps were running above normal, again not kidding! I posted a video today on YouTube as to how great of a day it was mild, maybe cool, but surely not cold. Now look out!, out of nowhere here comes the cold. Low temps in the morning tomorrow are set to hit 29F. Now someone will read this and say 29F is not cold, well remember this is central Florida you know the sunshine state. Let me be the first to tell you if you don't already know. That is cold for here!!!! Don't misunderstand it has been colder, but to go from one extreme to the other on a dime will shake things up around here. I am sure that tomorrow Home Depot will be sold out of space heaters. Now I know why I see the robins all over the yard today. Anyway not much to do other than go with the flow.

Lemon tree is blooming

Here it is late December and you would think that most trees in the orchard would be fast asleep and ready for the winter. Not so in the backyard orchard in central Florida with some high temps at that 80F mark. High temps this time of year are generally around the low to mid 70F zone. I am just branching out to a couple of citrus trees to have some variety in the backyard orchard. I have noticed that the lemon tree is starting to show signs of going into bloom as you can see from the video. After getting posts from YT friend in southern California I guess it is not so unusual. Anyway I just wanted to share my experience on this unusual winter orchard bloom.

Very warm Christmas in the orchard

Well today was Christmas day but it almost felt like summer time. In the sunshine the temps were pushing 85 degrees and slightly humid. I would almost say unseasonably warm, but that would not be totally true because this is after all central Florida. I did a small video yesterday and made an orchard walk to show how my apple trees are staying in full leaf. I am not to sure how to address this if we don't get colder weather. I guess I will just have to be patient and hopefully it comes. Otherwise I may be left with the decision of pulling the leaves off the apple trees to force dormancy. Maybe it will not come to that and winter will set in over the next few weeks.

Feels like fall today

I spent a little time this morning walking in my backyard orchard. Let me tell you if feels like fall lately. For Central Florida many times even when the temps are cool you just don't see the color. Well I have tried to make it a point the incorporate the color in my backyard orchard by planting trees and shrubs that show your eyes that it is fall. I am here to tell you it is working and I can't tell you how much it changes how I feel about this time of year (my favorite time).

Orchard is growing in numbers

Yesterday I planted 3 more trees in my backyard orchard. I transplanted 1 tree to another location that seems to be having some issues. Back a couple of months ago aphids really attacked my trees and really punished a couple of them and 1 tree was killed. It seems as though the aphids may have spread a fire blight type of canker. Anyway I transplanted a tree that just seems to have not recovered. Maybe the new location will be better for this tree.
Well the garden is going to sleep I can tell everyday that the season is moving more to winter and the trees are starting to go dormant. Blueberries, crape myrtles, maple, elms, and muscadines in my garden are all giving up their leaves. Soon winter will be in full swing and shorter days and cool nights will be the rule. I love this time of year and look forward to it. Live everyday as though it was just for you.

First low chill of 2011

Well tonight is the first night below 45 degrees here in central Florida. I think that we will make a target of 150 hours of temps under 45 degrees to put on apples. Stay tuned!