I have a shopping list

[botias]

It's been storming for a few days now. Lots of rain and cold wind. But, apparently it is also Spring. The cherry trees are just beginning to bloom; my daffodils are popping up all over and so are the crocus. Two of my asparagus plants are sending up shoots, and the new crop of slugs and snails are ready and waiting to devour their favorites.

I've had a shopping list for a few days now, but haven't done anything about it. The list is new, but most of this stuff I've been putting off for many moons already. I practice an apathy style of frugality.

• smoothie blender (maybe) my current one looks like a rocket ship, but is 10 years old and sounds like it's blending rocks, but then it always did
• kid hair clippers
• new tennis shoes
• hamper for boys
• birthday present for 7yo
• my fave perfume before they quit making it again
• car that includes the following features:
  1. stick shift
  2. gets more than 35 MPG
  3. seats five
  4. drives like a sports car
  5. costs less than 15K

Not on the list is fruit trees. I think I've gotten enough of those. Apparently, I am over my tree buying anxiety. I got four more bareroot fruit trees just before the storm hit, bringing me to a total of 7 trees to plant once the ground stops being soggy (hah!). It's not as huge as it sounds. I will be planting three or four trees in the same spot, about 18 inches apart, and not letting any of them get taller than I can reach. The trees produce less fruit than if they were allowed to get 15 to 30 feet tall or if they weren't planted so closely, but they produce plenty for a family, and the idea is to choose different varieties so that they ripen at different times, providing fruit over a long period. The earliest variety I have (Anna) ripens at the start of July, and the latest variety (Rome Beauty) continues into November. Partly through luck, and partly through planning, the other varieties ripen more or less in succession in between. I'm all set to get thoroughly tired of apples, but that's OK, there's a food bank down the road. This is all theory and hearsay and YouTube videos made by fruit tree salesmen at this point, of course. They could all DIE. But I think they won't, and I'm excited. Two of the trees had multiple varieties grafted onto them so I now have the following varieties:

Apples: Anna, Winter Banana, Red Fuji, {Fuji, Gala, Mutsu, Jonagold} Rome Beauty
Asian Pears: {Hosui, Shinseiki, 20th Century}
European Pears: Warren

I might try to grow some Pluots. It looks like they grow well around here, and they routinely win taste tests in multi-fruit smackdowns. Anyone ever tried a Plout? My summers are too mild for most peaches and sweet citrus, but I may try a specialty peach or some grape vines.

Comments

[zanthinegirl.livejournal.com]

I love pluots! I'm not a huge fan of eating apricots. I love them cooked, but fresh they're just too sweet for me. The plum part seems to give them a little sharper flavor, and a much less mushy texture. Yum!

I lived in central washington for a couple of years after college. It's the heart of orchard country; my boyfriend at the time's dad was actually an orchardist. I noticed that they keep the trees pruned pretty short, so you don't need major equipment to harvest. Makes good sense to me!

As for the car, I'm a fan of my subaru forester. I have a stick and get around 35mpg; it handles really well. Fun car to drive, and you can easily seat three kids in the back seat. Three adults is tight but doable.

Good luck!

[botias.livejournal.com]

Yay! Someone who's not only heard of Pluots but likes them. I feel encouraged. :)

I had forgotten about the Foresters. Thanks for the tip. Up in Washington, every other car was a Forester, it seemed like, very popular. It would probably be a good match for me. A turbo diesel VW Golf would also meet my requirements, but they are very difficult to lay mits on.

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

You'll be having a very nice crop in a few years.

[botias.livejournal.com]

I hope so. :) I've got so many irons in the fire that some of them are bound to bear fruit.

[shinybaum.livejournal.com]

I've never even heard of pluots but now I'm intrigued.

I've got a million yr old hand blender that chugs happily as if it was born in 1903. Makes me feel v. Lucille Ball.

[botias.livejournal.com]

Pluots are a hybrid of a plum (70%) and an apricot (30%). Not genetically engineered, I guess they just got them really drunk and... anyway, all's well that ends well.

Hand blender? Now I'm intrigued. It's probably not hand cranked though, right?

http://www.kitchenknivesandbeyond.com/2009/July/Vintage-Hand-Held-Blender-Used-Woman-Power.htm

[shinybaum.livejournal.com]

How weird, I was going to try and describe it but then another 'Murican on my flist mention immersion blenders and that's what it is \o/

[beanbeans.livejournal.com]

Spring in January. Wow. Cherry trees, daffodils and crocus. *longing sigh*

Ohhhhh, all those apple varieties are terrific! You'll have apples for several months with that selection. Plus, the flowers will be fragrant and beautiful. ASIAN PEARS. Oh, God. How WONDERFUL. I hope there will be photos when they bloom, and again when they produce fruit? Grape vines are wonderful, although they're really invasive.

What a happy-making post. Gardening is so good for the soul. I'm so excited for you and your fruit trees!

[botias.livejournal.com]

It's kinda strange really. You'd think I'd be used to it.

I have never eaten an Asian pear, but I was so amazed by the pear tree I have that I wanted to try more varieties. I will have to take pics when they are leafless sticks stuck in a mud pie. :) It will be fun to compare them with later. Interesting to know about grape vines. I wonder if they are invasive in this climate?

Thanks, beans. <3<3<3 I'm excited too. :)

[prophecygirrl.livejournal.com]

The fruit trees are making my toes tingle with happiness. (Yes, they do that).

We have an apple tree that the previous owners planted in the shade (*facepalm*) so we've never gotten apples from it. I'd have to move entire structures around to fix it. Hopefully, someday. I have no idea what variety it is, though.

I've never tried them, but I'll definitely be looking for pulots at the market.

Favorite perfume = ???

[botias.livejournal.com]

I'm glad I'm not the only one. :) I'm so excited!

Probably easier to plant another tree in the sun than to try and fix that one. :) Bare root trees are really cheap; mine were less than $25 and on sale besides. If those sneaky tree salesmen are to be believed, all I have to do is stick it in the ground, (don't add fruffy stuff to the soil) and not drown it.

Let me know if you find any pluots. I didn't think to look; I'm assuming they are out of season. They seem to have wacky names like Flavor Grenade.

Fave perfume is Organza Indecence (http://www.nstperfume.com/2007/09/20/givenchy-organza-indecence-perfume-review/) (not to be confused with Organza) by Givenchy. Thanks to beanbeans perfume posts, I discovered that they had discontinued it while I wasn't looking. But! It's for sale now as some sort of 'greatest hits' collection.

[kassto.livejournal.com]

I love your orchard plan.

And a car with a manual gear change is essential. I worry that one day everything will be automatic. I hate automatics.

[botias.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

I love manuals too. I also worry that the automatic transmissions will take over the world. My mechanic assures me otherwise, but I'm sure the car makers would rather make one variety than two.

[kassto.livejournal.com]

I'm glad your mechanic thinks so. I regard changing gear as one of the essential joys of driving.

[lotorsgurl.livejournal.com]

Maybe think about getting a Hyundia Vericruze *sp* almost 40mpg highway/30mpg city.they have both auto/manual transmission.Seats seven and ten year 100,000 powertrain,five year 50,000 bumper to bumper.They are a handeling dream.They have docking stations for portable dvd players.And a sound system that will blow you away.Built in sat/nav , butt warmer seats dual a/c controls,MP3 docking,enough power from the socket to power a laptop while you are stationary.Ten cup holders.And they throw in a free first aid kit with everything you'll ever need in case of emergencies.And they throw in an auto/breakdown emergency kit with everything you'll need for breakdowns wich rarely ever happens in the model.But a very great idea.And the peist'a'restance the price.