One apple. Just the one. With plans for apple espalier trees somewhere in the garden, our Spartan Apple tree with arms out stretched waved us over to show us her one single apple. A beauty. Not a grub, bite, peck or blemish. Our single apple was kept on the tree as long as possible, in watchful anticipation. Last night temptation got the better as I ventured into the garden of Eden and picked the solitary specimen. A quick execution half expecting a biblical talking snake offering eternal damnation or worse an actual snake in this somewhat weedy and neglected side of the shed very unlike Paradise. Eden probably wouldn't have had stinging nettles, nor out of control daisies. I'm sure there would have been a gardener. And a slow drip watering system, and a Bunnings somewhere. We're keen to put our espaliers somewhere in the garden where the gale force winds won't take the blossom, and possibly the whole trunk with it. We're also considering that possum would consider espalier trees just a new aisle in the supermarket, 'Roses, roses, APPLES, where's my trolley...' So before we suffer from either a major weather event or some marsupial discovers paradise, we decided to harvest. Like proud parents we sat and looked at the apple and planned our taste test. The occasion, a few slices of cheese and some crackers, a walnut half or two, maybe a grassy white wine paired (ahem) along with a sliver of paste of either plum, quince or whatever else they manage to squeeze into paste these days. A most satisfying event. Fig leaf optional.
We have a single apple on our ballerina apple tree. It sounds like you live in possum central like we do. We had to build a fully enclosed garden area just so that the possums wouldn't hoover down our precious plants. When we first moved out to the country in Northern Tasmania (from Launceston central) we had pots of roses to plant out. Within a very short space of time I had given my roses to friends who lived in the city. I am sure the leaves grew back...sigh... Kudos on your apple. There is a man who lives just up the road from us who has created 3 rows of espalier fruit trees in his front garden. I admire his chutzpah. I am sure he has more time than we do to fend off the possums!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to know his possum fending secret. The espaliers are supposed to increase the fruit production. I bet they're onto that as well.
DeleteHe wields a BIG stick. He recently added strawberry boxes to the base of his fence. I have been watching to see if he gets any berries this year as although he is just down the road from us (about 10 houses away) his house hasn't got a lot of trees around it (our back acre is all trees and the front 2 acres are all jungle) so the possums probably steer clear of it. His biggest problem is with wallabies but his fence keeps most of them out. He once told me "I give them one chance. I catch them and throw the buggers out and if they get in again, thats IT!" We don't really worry about wallabies here as anything outside the house fence is fair game. We have lots of camellias and rhododendrons on the property (we don't water anything outside the house fence) that grow like topsy here and that I often used to wonder why nothing eats till I found out that they are poisonous. I think that's the trick. Grow poisonous things! The only way we can garden is under netting. If we didn't have netting, we wouldn't have food. The end! It's lovely being able to talk to someone who grows in local conditions. Big cheers to Bev (Foodnstuff) for telling me about your excellent blog :)
DeleteWell done, for the apple and for keeping it from the possums. I am trying my first espaliered apple...a dwarf Granny Smith. One thing about espaliers I've worked out....if the tree is all in one dimension it's going to be easier to get a net over it. My theory anyway. Mine has flowered once and I had decided I would let it keep just one apple, but it decided it didn't want to and all the little ones dropped off. Ah well,there's always next year!
ReplyDeleteIt's heartbreaking when they fall off. Particularly by the time I've found them so has every grub and chicken in the garden.
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