[nafex] spring dormancy break etc.

["del stubbs" <pinewoodel@hotmail.com>]

May 10, the winner of the first bloom award was nanking cherry

MAY 12, The first apples to show full leaf are Chestnut, Centennial, Plum 
leaf crab. Just now showing green or pink tip are Gideon, Wolf River, Stone 
to name a few, with Halared and Mandan in the middle.

Moongold apricot, american plum,  and nova pear not quite first full leaf 
yet.

May 13 Wild Saskatoons look like a good bloom about to begin.
Wild Strawberries with extra good flavor that I transplanted into rich 
garden soil for an experiment last spring, look like a good bloom. Now I 
have to pick one with less than 30 runners!

This was not a test winter. Had 2' snow in open areas and -35 F lowest, but 
here were the winter results....

Chester Thornfree and Illini Blackberries  both died above snow cover. I 
will try training low to the ground in Siberian fashion.

The little wild blackberries that I transplanted last year from a sandy, 
jack-pine shaded area near here into open sun and rich garden soil....4 of 8 
survived.

Autumn Bliss (I mowed 1/2 of row). Floricanes got fried above snow as well. 
It is claimed to be the earliest of the primocane bearers, but ripening 2 
weeks late ( 3/4 of heavy crop lost to sept. frosts both years)
So.... I'll have to give up on Autumn Bliss....I've got 25  3rd year plants 
and a zillion babies.....if anyone in a milder climate wants some, I bet we 
can work a deal.
I've got a few Boynes started, I'm loking for reccommmendations for summer 
bearing super hardy raspberries, other suggestions?

Of this season's grafting the first to wake up  is a Evans/Bali on prunus 
americana.

The native Hawthorns here show quite a difference in dormancy break...some 
are near full leaf, some adjacent ones haven't had bud break yet....which 
would be best to graft apple and pear experiments to today?  The first to 
break dormancy would have more hope of supplying a scion with early needs, 
but would flood the graft, no?

Vole damage, of the 15 or so apple graft whips they nailed, most had good 
wood above the graft and are showing tiny green leaves, what a relief.

Mn.Del Z2/3  where we just had 2 Sand Hill Cranes land in the hay field, a 
Mother's Day blessing I'd say

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