Wasps can be such a noxious pest, but we haven't had the extreme heat lately, so they haven't been much of a problem — and easily controlled, in any case, by large fake paper nests that do double duty as Chinese lanterns (in the wasp world, bigger means better.) As far as spraying goes, I usually go after the nests and not the trees: no Buddhist inhibitions here. }D^:,`Those things are nasty!
If you don't mind getting wet, you could always put on the sprinkler when you're harvesting. The six-legged bugs don't like that much. Unfortunately, the two-legged sort do, especially if you don't wear a bra. ;^P~ (The hose usually works on them.)
The main thing with fruit trees is pruning and watering. A good overnight soak twice a week during hot, dry spells will keep the fruit plump and sweet. The pruning depends on how you want to shape the plant. The usual style is low-hanging boughs arching out from a central umbrel. Suckers need to be pruned, as well as those branches which shoot straight up off the fruit-bearing limbs.
Why don't you write HGTV and ask them if they would be interested? Explain that you're a single woman who is caring for elderly parents. Maybe they're looking for someone like you.
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Okay, you're in hardiness zone 5B, so that's a lot of growing season.
Date: 2011-08-22 03:24 am (UTC)If you don't mind getting wet, you could always put on the sprinkler when you're harvesting. The six-legged bugs don't like that much. Unfortunately, the two-legged sort do, especially if you don't wear a bra. ;^P~ (The hose usually works on them.)
The main thing with fruit trees is pruning and watering. A good overnight soak twice a week during hot, dry spells will keep the fruit plump and sweet. The pruning depends on how you want to shape the plant. The usual style is low-hanging boughs arching out from a central umbrel. Suckers need to be pruned, as well as those branches which shoot straight up off the fruit-bearing limbs.
Why don't you write HGTV and ask them if they would be interested? Explain that you're a single woman who is caring for elderly parents. Maybe they're looking for someone like you.