pruning peaches and when to harvest potatoes
#1
when can i prune my peach trees, after harvest or do i need to wait till fall? also, when is the right time to harvest my potatoes
#2
Ah! Potatoes. My grand-daughter loves to dig them. She thinks she's after buried treasure.
When the leaves start to yellow that means the harvest is on the way. When all the leaves have yellowed and the foliage is withered and dry, the potatoes will be ready for harvest. You don't have to wait that long though. About two weeks after the potato blossoms appear there will be a crop of small "new" potatoes. (The expensive ones at the store.) Just filch down in there with your hands and steal the baby ones. They'll be anywhere from crab apple size to lemon size. Delicious! They cook fast (you don't need to peel them), add melted butter, and enjoy. They have real tender skins at this point so be sure to harvest any that you accidentally scratch.
From that point on my family can't stay out of the potato patch so we harvest from "new" stage on until there aren't anymore.
Peach trees - I notice from your other post that you are in California. I'm up here in zone 5 where it goes to minus 20 below. Here we prune while dormant in late winter before leaf break. In your zone the procedure is probably different. Do check with your local nursery (not big box store nursery) for the recommended procedure in your area. You can also call your county cooperative extension office and a Master Gardener will assist you. Master Gardeners are experienced gardeners trained in your area. You will find them in the government section of your phone book under county.
When the leaves start to yellow that means the harvest is on the way. When all the leaves have yellowed and the foliage is withered and dry, the potatoes will be ready for harvest. You don't have to wait that long though. About two weeks after the potato blossoms appear there will be a crop of small "new" potatoes. (The expensive ones at the store.) Just filch down in there with your hands and steal the baby ones. They'll be anywhere from crab apple size to lemon size. Delicious! They cook fast (you don't need to peel them), add melted butter, and enjoy. They have real tender skins at this point so be sure to harvest any that you accidentally scratch.
From that point on my family can't stay out of the potato patch so we harvest from "new" stage on until there aren't anymore.
Peach trees - I notice from your other post that you are in California. I'm up here in zone 5 where it goes to minus 20 below. Here we prune while dormant in late winter before leaf break. In your zone the procedure is probably different. Do check with your local nursery (not big box store nursery) for the recommended procedure in your area. You can also call your county cooperative extension office and a Master Gardener will assist you. Master Gardeners are experienced gardeners trained in your area. You will find them in the government section of your phone book under county.