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distortions.net
Our nectarine’s first bloom. It’s in popcorn mode so hopefully most of the buds delay bloom until after this next storm! #HomeOrchard
A light pink nectarine flower with whitish stamens and red anthers. The photo was taken in a backyard with a shed and rocked areas.
February 14, 2026 at 12:52 AM
danielrufus.bsky.social
I removed 2-3 feet of top growth from this Methley+Shiro+Hollywood Asian plum multigraft tree. Buds are swelling! So prolific - hundreds of potential plums. I thin a LOT. Pruning philosophy: short enough so no ladder needed. Too high for deer. 🌱 #HomeOrchard #AccessibleGardening
Multigraft Asian plum tree after pruning. This tree started as Methley. I added on Shiro and Hollywood about ten years ago. My fruit tree shaping philosophy: no branches easily reached by deer. That includes long slender willowy branches that will droop with weight of fruit. But, as someone who isn't as able as I used to be, keep all branches low enough to reach without a ladder. So, there's a "Goldilocks Zone". I try to keep fruiting spurs 6" to a foot long. I don't worry too much about keeping the center open. it has sort of a flat top, so sun reaches all of the leaves and fruit.
February 11, 2026 at 7:55 PM
ucanrpubs.bsky.social
Show your garden some love on Valentine's Day and join us for the launch of Home Orchard, 2nd Ed.
📅 Saturday, Feb 14 | 9AM-Noon
📍 Fair Oaks Horticulture Center
11549 Fair Oaks Blvd, Fair Oaks, CA
Explore our gardens and bring questions for Master Gardeners.
#UCMasterGardener #HomeOrchard #FairOaks
February 11, 2026 at 1:32 AM
danielrufus.bsky.social
This Stanley plum tree reached the end of its stability, so I started cutting it down.

Such pretty wood. If I was still a woodworker, I would save the logs and make something.

🌱 #gardening #homeorchard
Cross section of Stanley plum tree log. It shows colors of magenta heartwood, grey transition wood, and yellow sapwood.
February 11, 2026 at 12:30 AM
danielrufus.bsky.social
Today I pruned the first multigraft Asian pear tree. Its main job now is pollination for its neighbor. It has some good pears. The goal is, flowers and pears stay above deer browsing height, but below what would need a ladder to reach. #gardensky #homeorchard 🌱
Small Asian Pear tree, pruned 5 Feb 26. There are lots of flower buds.
February 6, 2026 at 1:30 AM
danielrufus.bsky.social
Interesting bark on my 25 year old, dwarf Liberty apple tree. I don't know why it's so gnarly. Very productive of sweet, flavorful, crisp, juicy red apples. Might be triploid, so needs a pollinator and doesn't reciprocate (in theory. I think it does). #TreeTrunk #HomeOrchard #Gardening 🌱
Trunk of dwarf Liberty apple tree Branch fork of dwarf Liberty apple tree, with lichens and bark malformations.
January 5, 2026 at 12:17 AM
danielrufus.bsky.social
Today I cut down the 26 year old Jonagold apple tree. It's had, maybe, 3 productive years. It's triploid, so doesn't pollinate others. Delicious, crisp, sweet, juicy, flavorful apples. But I can't justify the burden of caring for it any more. I have other, better, varieties. #HomeOrchard 🌱
Pieces of apple branches lying around, after the tree was cut down.
January 5, 2026 at 12:08 AM
danielrufus.bsky.social
Winter pruning has started. Today I pruned this "dwarf' Liberty Apple tree that way-outgrew its dwarfing rootstock. I keep the branches above deer munching height but still within human (me) reach without ladder. Power pruners help. Be VERY CAREFUL - they can cut off a finger! #HomeOrchard 🌱
Liberty apple tree after pruning. Deer don't munch as high as those branches & spurs. Another view, same apple tree after pruning Power pruners. Great help! Extended reach, instant cut through inch - thick branches. Be very careful - they can do that to fingers too. My helper. He stands out of the way until pruning is finished and I'm cleaning up.
January 3, 2026 at 12:27 AM
ucanrpubs.bsky.social
Home Orchard, 2nd Edition is here!🍎
Nearly two decades of University of CA research updates.
From rootstocks to rainfall, pests to pruning—this is the guide for serious backyard fruit growers.
Get the guide, grow the dream.
Buy now: bit.ly/HomeOrchard2
#HomeOrchard #FruitTrees #UCANR
Cover of The Home Orchard Second Edition showing a fruit tree.
December 6, 2025 at 2:04 AM
ucanr.edu
New edition of UC ANR’s ‘The Home Orchard’ offers advice on growing tree fruit and nuts. ➡️ ucanr.edu/blog/food-blog/article/homeorchard
ucanr.edu UC Agriculture & Natural Resources @ucanr.edu · Dec 4
New resource for home growers! 🌳 UC ANR’s Home Orchard, 2nd Edition features updated guidance on figs, persimmons, nuts, IPM, irrigation & climate-smart practices.
Get your copy: bit.ly/4iD1cGC
#FruitTrees #Orcharding
@ucanrpubs.bsky.social
December 4, 2025 at 6:44 PM
danielrufus.bsky.social
Today's persimmon harvest. I should have checked weeks ago. Birds got a lot of them. This is Nishimura Wise, sold in the US as "Coffee Cake ". They require pollination to be sweet when crisp. These are very good! #Persimmons #HomeOrchard 🌱 #KitchenGarden
Freshly picked "Coffeecake Persimmons", known in Japan as Nishimura Wise. These require a second variety for pollination. They are crisp and sweet. Coffeecake persimmon on the tree. Fencing is for deer. Birds got about half of the persimmons but there are still some for me.
December 1, 2025 at 12:26 AM
templemom.bsky.social
We have positively gorged on figs this year. Our little fig tree has been full to the brim! This is the last of them... now we'll have to be patient until next year.

#gardening #HomeOrchard #fruit #figs #GrowYourFood
A blue-rimmed plate is piled high with ripe kadota figs. They are plump and round, in shades of brown and brownish-green. The plate sits on a blond wood table.
September 9, 2025 at 11:55 AM
danielrufus.bsky.social
Pears are ripe now. I picked a big box of them to take to the food bank. Also a box of apples. #gardening #HomeOrchard
Pear tree with ripe pears
September 2, 2025 at 2:48 AM
autumnthoyre.bsky.social
I still can't believe it worked! We grew peaches! They don't look perfect and the raccoons got too many, but they're juicy, complex, and delicious ♥️ #peaches #byoc #gardening #homeorchard
Yellow and orange-blushed peaches sitting on a black surface
August 28, 2025 at 10:13 PM
autumnthoyre.bsky.social
Spotted on an apple leaf from pretty far away bc it is massive! Best guess: swallowtail butterfly caterpillar. Check out those fake eyes 👀 #gardening #appletree #caterpillar #homeorchard #swallowtail
Large green caterpillar with fake eyes on leaf
August 11, 2025 at 9:55 PM
danielrufus.bsky.social
It's a plum nice day! Harvest of Hollywood and Methley plums. Also mulberries. Shiro plums glow on the branches. 🌱 #Gardening #HomeOrchard
Small blue Methley plums, ripe Illinois Everbearing mulberries, and purple / magenta Hollywood plums. Golden Shiro plums on the tree. Sweet and juicy. I love them, but others prefer more fleshy / stronger flavored plums.
August 9, 2025 at 4:33 PM
resonanteye.bsky.social
when will my peaches be ready
can I beat the squirrel and raccoon to them

I am on high alert daily when I wake
there's only maybe 6 or 7 on this thing

I stare out the window, waiting and watching

#spokanegarden #gardensky #homeorchard
a peach tree branch with 3 peaches on it, furry and green
June 27, 2025 at 10:33 PM
southerngarden.bsky.social
Easiest Tropical Fruits for Florida Gardeners
Florida offers homeowners an incredible opportunity to cultivate their own slice of paradise.
#tropicalfruit #homeorchard #homesteading #SelfSufficiency #selfsufficient #FloridaGarden #FloridaGardening
southerngarden.net/easiest-trop...
Easiest Tropical Fruits for Florida Gardeners - Southern Garden Nursery
Dreaming of harvesting exotic fruits from your own backyard? Check out our list of the easiest tropical fruits for Florida.
southerngarden.net
May 9, 2025 at 2:20 PM
danielrufus.bsky.social
Apple blossom time. The earlies are in full bloom. Almost are grafted onto ultra-dwarfing rootstock, Budagovsky-9 (Bud 9) rootstock for high vigor varieties, or Geneva-222 for low vigor varieties. Trees are about six years old. 🌱 #AccessibleGardening #Homeorchard #AppleBlossom
Akane apple tree on Bud-9 rootstock. A Japanese variety, very productive Jonathan-type apples but a bit larger fruit. It's descended partly from Jonathan. Pristine apple on a dwarfing Geneva rootstock. Pristine is a very early (July), "sparkly" tasting yellow apple. Very disease resistant. All of these highly dwarfing rootstocks are not strong, so require a strong post to keep the tree standing. Sweet-16 mini-dwarf apple tree on Bud-9 rootstock. Sweet-16 is a mid-season (Sept) red apple with pink-toned flesh adjacent to the skin, and an unusual "cherry apple" flavor. This tree, using the rootstock and pruning, is about 5 feet tall and bears about 50 good size apples, with early fruit thinning. On far right, "Tasty Red" columnar apple. I did not graft that one, it's on whatever rootstock the nursery used. Patented (originally Czech), disease resistant variety so cant be home grafted. On left, Gravenstein on Bud-9. Bears in July. Origin 17th century Europe. Triploid. Behind that, Jonared, a red sport of Jonathan, I think I grafted it onto on Geneva because it's a low vigor cultivar. Smaller apples, nostalgic. My parents had a Jonathan apple tree many years ago. Probably originates in rural New York in 1826. Behind that in the row is Akane, already described. Each mini tree can now bear about 50 apples, easily. On the miniaturizing rootstocks, they are easy to maintain, highly accessible to putter and give TLC. Grafting isn't too difficult. Scion and rootstocks are from various sources, mainly Fedco in Maine, and Burnt Ridge in WA State. I think they are close enough together for pollinating insects to travel between trees. They usually set fruit too well, requiring fruit thinning in Nay or June. Yesterday I noticed a few honeybees and more tiny pollinating solitary bees and wasps buzzing around the blossoms.
April 17, 2025 at 1:43 PM
resonanteye.bsky.social
things growing:
gooseberry berries, green gage plum, rhubarb from @thekr.bsky.social , pear about to blossom
#zone7a #gardensky #homeorchard
green leaves with tiny flowers, gooseberry a plum branch with white flowers about to open large rhubarb leaves a small pear tree
April 15, 2025 at 6:41 PM
danielrufus.bsky.social
Apple Blossoms. Now Gravenstein is fully open, columnar Tasty Red has started to open, and North Pole is almost open. I hope the pollinating insects are out there. I see very few. 🌱 #AppleBlossoms #Gardening #HomeOrchard
Gravenstein Apple Blossoms. Many are fully open now, the earliest of my varieties. Gravenstein is an ancient, centuries-old variety from Europe - Denmark, Germany, or Italy may be the origin. It is tetraploid -four sets of chromosomes - a common apple trait usually resulting in large, sweet, flavorful apples but can't pollinate other trees. So if you grow Gravenstein, you need at least two other varieties so all can be pollinated. Liberty and Jonagold are also tetraploid. Columnar "Tasty Red" apple blossoms. Quite a few have opened but not most. Columnar "North Pole" blossoms "almost" open, These and Tasty Red can pollinate each other and Gravenstein. Gravenstein can't pollinate these, because it is tetraploid with ineffective pollen.
April 13, 2025 at 10:39 PM
danielrufus.bsky.social
European pears are blooming now (SW WA State). These are the varieties Orcas and Rescue, plus some grafts for pollination. Not seeing any honeybees, mason bees, or bumblebees 🙁 but maybe some native tiny pollinators. 🌱 #Gardening #HomeOrchard
Rescue pear tree in bloom. I usually have to do a lot of fruit thinning. We'll see about this year. Not many bees out there so far. Orcas Pear tree in bloom, with Rescue Pear nearby.
April 13, 2025 at 10:19 PM
jseymournovelist.bsky.social
Creating an orchard from heirloom fruits and exotic varieties takes a ton of time and work but it'll be worth it very soon #appletree #homeorchard
April 9, 2025 at 2:23 AM
megsandmarigolds.bsky.social
New addition to our future orchard - Blue Damson Plum 🥰 Absolutely gorgeous bare root tree from Trees of Antiquity #homeorchard #gardening #homesteading (notice my sad y'all o' meter in the greenhouse, sorry @rhyall.bsky.social 😂)
My hand is holding up a white plant tag that reads Blue Damson Plum. The tag is attached to the center trunk of a small bare fruit tree, which is sitting in a large terracotta pot full of potting soil. My car keys and piano pattern lanyard are dangling out of focus in the foreground. A messy greenhouse and small metal trash can are blurry in the background.
March 19, 2025 at 11:50 PM
shipsinport.bsky.social
Today's harvest from the home orchard. Almost 1.5 kg blackcurrants, some already in a 🥧, the rest will be jam by tomorrow and the 🍒are delicious just as they are. #HomeGrown #HomeOrchard
A bowl of cherries and a bowl of blackcurrants harvested from my home orchard
November 29, 2024 at 3:12 AM