This week’s column should be called “The Greedy Gardener.” My peach tree was bending under the weight of too many peaches, but I didn’t see cracks or splits in the branches and anticipated the sweet fruit coming my way soon. That is, until the morning I stepped out to see the top half of the tree split from the bottom.
While I should have removed more fruit from the branches, I also think an animal of some kind helped the trunk snap. There was no wind that night, and the tree had been gently bending under the fruits’ weight. The tree was growing well.
The leaves withstood the beetle onslaught. Peach leaf curl was successfully managed with proper spraying over the winter. But then I saw that fruit ripening, and I couldn’t bring myself to choose which should stay and which should go.
So, nature stepped in and decided for me. Luckily, I was able to gather much of the fruit (about 40) into a bushel to finish ripening. I have been able to cut and peel a few each day, so it is not a total loss.
Instead of ripping out the damaged tree, I hope to encourage it to grow a new leader. I will consider adding another peach tree next spring. Then again, I reserve the right to compost it and start anew.
More lazy gardener discoveries: Carrots just continue to grow. I have pulled three that were about three inches long. I will wait to pull the others until I find one about two times that length.
Beets just sit in place during hot, dry weather. I need to give them more water. I sti.