One of Luther Burbank's Legacies - the Plumcot

Luther Burbank developed more than the potato that feeds those who patronize MacDonalds. Burbank is probably best known to the home gardener for his selection called the "Shasta Daisy".

My plumcot trees are nearly done blooming. Only one light rain during its two weeks of bloom. Heavy crop last year. So, I not sure what amount of fruit I'll have this year.

This tree was developed by our local horticultural wizard Luther Burbank in the early 1900s. This is the first, true hybrid-that I know of-of an  apricot with a plum. He named it 'Apex'. He did countless crosses by hand pollination and grew thousands of seedlings before selecting this fruit. 

The first bite as the sweet, delicate aroma and taste of an apricot. This is quickly followed by the texture and flavor of a yellow Japanese plum. 

The fruit probably never became commercial as the tree blooms very early in the year and fruiting can be wiped by late winter rains, the fruit is a bit small, the flavor is subtle, they don't ship well, and they ripen over a period of weeks. This last one is the deal breaker for commercial success. Having to come back over-and-over to harvest a crop is too costly for "the trade". But this is exactly what makes it such a wonderful tree for my home orchard. I can gather the succulent fruit for weeks. There are countless fruits, nuts, and vegetables that only a gardener can grow and will never be found in a typical supermarket.

There must be be special trees developed near your garden. Let's find out how many selections came from old American orchardists as compared to heritage trees "imported" from Europe and elsewhere we can find. Write me about your favorite fruit or nut. I have plenty more examples of unsung breeders of fruit and nut trees in northern California. Ciao/Chow

Please post a comment - I want to know what you think.

All rights reserved, Copyright 2008

Spring & Summer Moisture

Last night there was a very gentle rain that lingered for only a short time. It announced the coming of spring and the dry months ahead. 

The peach, plums, plumcots, and quinces are the early-blooming fruit trees in my garden; the first to announce spring is here, no matter how briefly before the yearly drought of summer. Even a gentle rain can affect the pollination and bring disease such a fire blight and scab. So I watch the clouds dissipate and the fog slip back to the shoreline so the sun can dry the flowers to prevent such diseases of fruit trees. The warm, sunny days also bring forth pollinating bees (what few are left) and insects that flutter about in the warmth of the sun and "do their thing". 

The rain was typical for late winter, the roads were wet along my lane, but the asphalt was dry beneath the larger trees. The shadows of dryness follow light mists and gentle rains. In the dry times of the summer, the pattern is reversed. Fog laden with moisture often roll up the hills to my house and the trees 1200 feet above the ocean. The trees gather the fog and condense the moisture into "rain". Then the roads in the open, next the to meadows, are dry and the lane is wet with "rain" beneath the larger, taller trees. 

Many people assume only the roots absorb moisture for the plant's growth. Not always true. Both spring rains and summer fog drip directly feed the needles of the nearby redwoods. It has been discovered that the stomata under the leaf can actually absorb tiny amounts of moisture. This amazing process is but one part of the puzzle about how the forest surrounding my home passes through each summer's dry cycle.

More to follow on future postings.

I'd like to hear about the special micro climates at your home and in the garden. 

Please post a comment - I want to know what you think.

All rights reserved, copyright 2008