North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[list@ginda.us]

We had a windstorm last night.  This afternoon I noticed that the fence 
I'd put around a yearling apple tree to deter dear had blown over and 
broken off the top of the tree.  Oh well, so much for protecting this 
year's growth.

The other little apple tree has already had much of it's recent growth 
"pruned", presumably by a deer.  (That enclosure doesn't have a top.)

Not exactly a recent problem, but my raspberries did really poorly this 
year.  I went to prune them for the winter and they weren't as tall as 
the hight I've pruned them down to in the past.  I took off spent tops 
anyway, and thinned the canes heavily.  I hope it's just the lack of 
sunlight last summer, and not some new pest or disease.

The only thing that looks really healthy this fall is the currants.  
They're dormant, of course, but they are covered with fat buds and have 
a healthy look about them.  I gotta say that I've found currants 
consistently rewarding to grow - the only real problem I've had yet is 
birds taking the crop.

Cheers,
Ginda