Re: [gardeners] Re: Heat wave

Ron Hay (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Sat, 02 Sep 2000 18:36:30 -0700 

Hello, Penny,

Yes, in our part of Southern California, most stone fruit will not produce,
unless it has been hybridized to do so. One common apple that is grown in
home gardens is called "Beverly Hills," but have never tasted one.

Several neighbors have peach trees, ones that require very little chilling.
That is also the case with our "Panimint" nectarine and "Blenheim/Royal"
apricot (many pomologists consider the two varieties as really one and the
same.)

Out witheringly hot, dry summer has been hard on  Amish Paste, Omar's
Lebanese and Mortgage Lifter. If we grow them again, we will grow them on
the west side of our yard where they will receive shade from the wall during
the oppressive heat of the afternoon.

Yellow pears have been our staple all summer, and I often cook up a batch
with olive oil, garlic and add shredded basil leaves just before pouring
them over yummy polenta.

Today we put in an additional Caesalpina pulcherrima, sometimes called
Barbados Red Bird of Paradise. Very drought resistant and cold tolerant,
too, since we often get a couple of frosts here in the SF Valley, as we are
cut off from the moderating sea breezes by the Santa Monica Mountains.

You should see our macadamia! It has tripled its leaf area this year, having
not just two flushes of growth, but three! I can't wait for it to stop it's
vegetative growth phase and see it produce flowers in long pink racemes,
and, of course, those AWFUL :) macadamia nuts.

Have a wonderfully relaxing Labor Day.

Ron

penny x stamm wrote:

> .
> Hi there, Ron!  This has been, as you have heard, a cool and overcast
> summer. A number of things quietly bit the dust.  And now we have
> had two days of intense heat and high humidity, turning us into
> human gophers -- we don't even want to put out the garbage!
>
> In spite of the almost total lack of sun,  I just felt compelled to take
> a deep breath and slip outside to harvest 11 Big Boy tomatoes, fully
> ripened.  Too much, too much!  I said 'hello!' in passing to the triple
> artichoke plant, and blew it a kiss.
>
> Do you grow bananas in your area? I never think of bananas as
> coming from California. It's too hot for peaches and apples, isn't it?
> We're in a major Hudson Valley apple growing location -- but I'll
> tell you a secret:  I only buy Washington State red delicious -- they're
> MUCH crisper and tastier than our own.
>
> Penny, NY
>
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