The Apples of My Eye

The Dwarf Gala apple tree, espaliered against the south fence of the veggie patch (but facing north) had babies for the first time this year. There were five crisp apples and on two occasions I had a hunch to pick them on a certain day, left it that night and the bower bird got in behind the netting against the fence. It's at least nice to know my instincts are in tune - just need to act on them sooner!

So she got the best looking apple and ate half (how nice that she left me some :^))



And the flavour? Delicious! Not quite as sweet as I'd expected, but not bitter and very crisp and juicy. In fact, I don't recall eating any apple that crisp and juicy. It just shows you how much is lost, the further away from 'fresh' that it gets.

Keeping those plants in line

Green support poles and Espaliered apple tree

Finally got my dwarf apple-trees ("Gala" and "Granny Smith") attached to a wire fence in order to espalier them (training trees on a wire trellis or fence line). My first attempt at putting in the green posts (that I picked up off the street) was rather sad. Digging a hole didn't cut it - they just fell over. So I discovered "Builders' Cement". You chuck it in the hole which is wet and partially filled with water and mix it in situ. It dries to hold the post in about 15 minutes and the posts are sitting solidly now, even with the taut wire pulling on them.