Fruit and wasps

[yummersetter]

I find with mirabelle fruits that the blackbirds peck them as they try to pinch some and then flies and, yes, wasps dive in the holes. Not in vast amounts though, just enough to make wearing soft leather gloves when picking a good idea as the wasps tend to be inside the hollowed out skin. I have two large trees though, with a smaller bush you can see what you're doing.

[AllInContainers]

Thanks for the heads up on that

I just ordered another two items for the garden today (I must be insane) a Szechuan pepper (Chinese prickly ash) and a Japanese Bitter Orange, both of which I plan on keeping compact (they are both used for bonsai trees apparantly, so I know they can be kept under control) but that's yet two more fruiting plants going out in my little urban woodland oasis I also ordered another plant as a surprise gift for my neighbour.

For reference, all these plants were surprisingly cheap from jurrassicplants.co.uk. The mirabelle, dwarf peach and dwarf quince I ordered before were from Blackmoor who I believe have got a few fans on here

[Nicos]

I seem to recall they like figs too?

[Nicos]

y...had you thought of painting all your garden walls white/ cream/ something pale but bright...to help reflect the light to help ripen the fruit?

...just thinking about the vineyards over here putting down white stones to reflect extra light onto their grapes
..easier to do now before the plants get too big!!!!

[AllInContainers]

Good call Nicos!

The left hand side of the garden (East facing) is already whitewashed, and that's obviously the side that needs the extra help. The West facing wall to the right when viewed from the house is red brick, but is not particularly high. This means that anything of size has the fruit above the wall anyway, and dependent on the month, will catch the sun from sunrise to sunset. The only plants there at the moment which would benefit are blueberries and (now) barberry, which won't need the whitewash.

Based on the picture I have in my head, the only bush in question will be the Dwarf Quince. This year it will be in a short season location (i.e. near the house) and will be in the shade before fruits are well developed, but next year I can move that up into a longer season area (nearer the back wall) when this years annuals are done. If it blossoms this year (which I'm not expecting, but I haven't seen it yet) I'll see if I can do a switcheroo with an annual to get it up there this season. I suppose what I'm saying amongst all this babble is that everything down that side is too tall to benefit from whitewashing that wall, which saves me a bit of time and money

Piccies would help I suppose. I'll try to get some later today/tomorrow

[AllInContainers]

Aw shucks! Now it's looking like it might be a good idea after all ... hmmm ...

[Cherrygirl]

To protect the cherries from the wasps (and birds!), try branch wraps.