Early Bloom Observations, Early Fruit Hopes

Today, blossoms are dropping from the Royal Rosa apricot and Flavor Delight Aprium is just past mid-bloom. Both have bloomed during rainy weather and many blossoms are dropping without setting fruit. But there are some fruits here and there. There is scattered bloom on Royalty now. Harcot is starting to bloom. The Plumcot isn't blooming as heavily as normal. Maybe just an "off" year.

The little Geo Pride Pluot is in full bloom. Looks like a good companion for Flavor Supreme. The fruit gets great reviews from Fruitnut and others on the fruit forum at GardenWeb. I saw a bee in its flowers. Flavor Grenade is just starting to bloom. Burgundy plum is also blooming well. Bees like its bigger blossoms. It is the preferred pollenizer for Flavor Queen Pluot. Dapple Dandy is also blooming. The little Catalina plum tree (on Citation rootstock, like the Flavor Grenade and Geo Pride) is in full bloom. I think we killed the second Dapple Dandy tree, on the north side of the house. I planted these two as pollenizers for the Flavor Supreme.

Bees don't seem to like Flavor Supreme's blossoms much. Naturally, since it is such a wonderful early fruit. I put a big jar of Santa Rosa branchlets (blooming earlier than usual this year) and other varieties in the Flavor Supreme tree. It has attracted a few hover flies and house flies. (Trivia: Commercially-bred house flies are used to pollinate hybrid carrots). I also placed some vases of Burgundy blossoms and yellow-flowered weeds on the cross-post of the fence behind the tree. Hope to get a little more fruit set than last year. Last year, the rosemary started blooming before the fruit trees. This year, the rosemary is just starting to bloom now.

Arctic Star white nectarine is blooming, with the large, showy flowers typical of newer varieties of peaches and nectarines. This nectarine is the favorite early variety of stone fruit for Fruit Nut (nom de blog on Garden Web). He's a guy who moved from the Central Valley to the mountains of West Texas because of allergies. He built a big greenhouse to grow his favorite Valley fruits. He prefers very sweet, low acid, firm fruit as a general rule. Arctic Star was my most successful nectarine last year.

I also loved my old yellow variety "Independence", named for a gold mine like many nectarines and peaches developed at about the same time. Some other peaches and nectarines are showing a few blossoms, too. Yesterday, I saw a Panamint nectarine tree at Home Depot (named for the Panamint Mine). It may also be an early bloomer, as it has a low chill requirement. Don't know where to put another nectarine tree. Don't know what rootstock it's on. Same story for their Mariposa plum. I've tried planting Mariposa trees two times and they have failed. Probably the wrong rootstock for the sandy location.