What a nice treat to see all the interesting foliage, you guys. I'm afraid the thread will hit its limit before I have the camera out to photograph some things that aren't at least 3 wks. behind the season. Eden, your garden must've inspired your screen name for it is, in fact, a backyard eden! I love the Astilboides, mine are not faring so well and will likely be relocated when time allows, but for now they're hanging in there. ;) Marian, I love the native fern and the bird's foot violet. I have a special fondness for the stalwart natives that shrug off the vagaries of seasonal weather blips and contentedly keep working away at their "jobs". The ferns here are at waist height (3') and are still quite stiffy and tightly configured. It will take another few weeks before they begin to relax and fall "open" more. The last of the little ephemeral spring flowers that carpet the floor of the woods under them are beginning to finish up their assignments for this year. :) I discovered 2 Liatris that were in Vegetable World and was told to plant them "somewhere". I've added them to the newly neatened area by the mouth of the driveway, along with 2 abused Perovskia that have lived in pots for pushing 3 yrs. now. It's the same area that now sports the serpentine display of the variEgated Miscanthus, "Strictus". It's the best sun I can offer anything on the Compound. I diligently mended the deck canopy and the torn screen panel yesterday while listening to Frank Sinatra. Vera joined me through the window that's been designated their official entrance to the Salon: She promptly decided to curl up on the screen panel I needed to mend. Here she is in "hunting mode": I have high hopes to get the canopy water-proofed this afternoon, possibly for installion on Thursday or Friday. Not sure about that. It will really start to feel as though summer will be here then. And then it will be time to finally replace the 4 awnings that shield the windows on the south side of the house. I miss their cheery presence and will really miss their contribution to interior comfort in the coming months. The helpmeet worked in Vegetable World yesterday. It all looks very organized and clean right now (except the fence and the beds he's going to re-side this year). I have been told that there will be lettuce and radishes aplenty for Camp, Early Girl tomatoes and fresh basil. That should help with provisioning. I will try to get some shots of his hard work this afternoon. In all, it was a very pleasant day for all on the Compound. "C'mon in, the water's great!": Time to go fix things, you guys. Have a fun day.

Thanks dibbit, I guess we will see what we end up with in the coming weeks. I have not sprayed to keep insects or fungus away. So no telling what will happen to the fruit. I would enjoy harvesting some to eat fresh, but that might be asking too much if I have not done any of what I just mentioned. Prof. Werner suggested that, next late Winter or early Spring just about at bud break time, I should prune some of the inner branches out to give this tight columnar tree a little better air circulation. I also saw that planting Garlic beneath the tree will help prevent leaf wilt problems that are so commonly seen in some peach trees. Both those ideas seem good to me, but that is likely the most I want to do with these trees. Of course time will tell, if I change my mind and later am motivated to begin spraying lime/sulfer treatments just after leaf drop in the fall, and just prior to bud break in the following late winters or early springs for preventing fungus infestations. After all, we, like many others in the country have had lots of excessive rain periods this Spring, we also have received so much over the the expected during periods of rainfall we have encountered, so that as of today, we are only 5 inches away from receiving a normally expected year's worth of rainfall for our local area. With all that moisture in the air and short durations of sunny days in between, It possibly could take a miracle for my peach trees to not begin showing the need for the anti-fungal treatments in the fall and again in the late winter.

the root stock is chosen.. because it is more vigorous than what was grafted onto it ... the converse is.. if the root stock had good fruit.. they wouldnt have used it as root stock ... as such.. it will eventually take over the grafted plant ... and you might lose what you paid money for .. often.. since it has aggressive roots .. what comes off the tree is not the best fruit .. in other words.. if you bought a prime peach eating tree .. this one is probably a lesser peach... or even an ornamental peach .. non fruiting ... the above links should say such ... you didnt tell us what kind of peach you bought ... what your investment was [i dont need numbers] .... and whether the purple on fills the reason you planted a peach ... an ornamental peach.. purple.. that blooms in spring.. but never sets fruit.. can be a very nice ornamental plant for a garden ,.... if thats ok with you ... btw.... i have given up on peach in MI ... they were a great experiment ... but they end up having so many problems.. and need spraying so many times a season ... i just quit ... it was cheaper and easier.. to just go buy a bushel at teh local orchard ... in season .. rather than invest all that time and money in spraying ... not to mention the exposure to such ... anything you need to know.. about growing a fruit peach.. can be learned in the fruit forum ... just another base of experts .. that i usually dont see in the general forums ... ken

Because the ornamental fruit would fall on the back porch literally. The bugs would be right by the porch. But they surely would know all that comes with a fruit tree. I honestly don't know they have planted some odd things. The one in the driveway would take up half the driveway when mature.