Over the winter, I had some bad luck with the fruit trees I planted last fall. It seems that rabbits really like the tender sweet bark of young fruit trees. In their search for food in the snow, they chewed the trunks of my new trees. I noticed this earlier in the winter and bought some "trunk guards" from home depot. They were about 8 inches long, and I doubled them up on each tree for about 16 inches of protection. That sounded pretty good until it snowed... a lot. With the snow so high, the rabbits used the trunk guards to rest their paws on while they gnawed all the bark off the trees! I now see why people shoot rabbits. I can relate to Elmer Fudd.
Anyway, I'll wait for a few weeks to see if the trees survived. I figure if they bud in a week or two, they might survive. If they dont, I'll plant some new ones. I think the honeycrisp apple will be fine. The macintosh is probably gone. The bartlett and comice pear are on the fence.
I stopped into Jungs on the way home yesterday to see how much a replacement tree might cost. Their bareroot section opened up on Friday. As I walked in, there on the right was the sweet cherry tree variety I couldnt find last year! Needless to say, I left with two cherry trees (one black gold, one white gold). They were developed at Cornell University, so my hope is they will winter better than most sweet cherry types. Trees have it a lot harder than I thought, frigid cold and rabbits. Who knew?! I also talked with a gentleman there about rabbits and I think I have a plan for next winter. The orchard is currently 6 (possibly alive) trees. I doubt any of them will fruit this year, but the wild plum trees should make up for it. We should have a bumpercrop of plums!
3 comments:
I bet they all make it. Trees and rabbits have both been around for a long time. Now we need to encourage the hawk, fox, coyote, and Bonnie populations.
I am ready to move the apple press to the shop so it ready for your use. Cherries will be so exciting too!! I will help pick. I am using the last of the plum preserves on peanut butter and plum sandwiches right now so I did not make enought of that.
I'm not so sure. Girdled trees are not as desirable as some girdled women. You don't have a Mae West apple, do you?
Anyways, I wanted to share a honey salad dressing recipe. It is fantastic on garden lettuce which has that slightly bitter taste.
Blend 1/3 cup red wine vinegar, 1/3cup honey, 1 tsp. dried oregano, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, and 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, (commonly called canine pepper in our house, which a canine or two might help with the rabbit problem!). Mix well, and toss with those fresh greens from the garden. Don't skimp on the cayenne. This is a fantastic no oil dressing! Good Luck with the trees. And happy planting and bee babysitting!
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