The Castleton I picked today fell off easily so it was ripe, but it might have been influenced by PC damage. All of my Castletons had PC stings that I cut out. This was about the only tree that I had success with cutting out stings this year. This one was clean inside except for a darker, more dense area near the scar. Not the typical icky PC damage, but it still might have caused it to ripen faster. However, it has been hotter than normal almost all summer. I don’t remember quite as many days above 85 as this year.
About 12 hours with a tray rotation in the middle was usually dry enough to keep in the freezer for a while (6-8 trays of halved figs). The ones I dried out more so they were chewy had a stronger cherry flavor that was really nice and they kept really well. Next time it rains too much just a few hours in the dehydrator will really help out the ones you want to eat fresh though.
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It’s true that bug bitten Castleton turned blue prematurely. I learned it a hard way last year. They seemed to hang on for long time after being damaged.
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Thanks. I’ll be doing some dehydrating! I love these for snacks while I’m on the road during the work day!
Always wanted to taste a ripe superior plum, I took my tree out without ever getting a chance to try it. I always had trouble with it because of the weeping habit, hopefully I have better luck with a weeping santa rosa I planted. What is your favorite plum you are growing?
I grew pumpkins on an arbor and they spreaded out onto a cherry tree too. I tied four corners of a cloth and hung them like inverted parachutes.
I will try that, thanks
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We got rain yesterday!!! Several hours of nice steady soaking rain. And then in the early morning hours we’ve had hard run-off rain—-so nice to hear squish when you walk instead of the crunch of dead grass!
Katy
PS. I know some of y’all have been drowning but we have been scorched. I wish it would even out for everyone.
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Right now my favorites are Kaga, Toka, and Castleton. If the Superior ever thrives for me it will probably be my favorite. Tha Kaga I have is similar to Toka but the fruit is a little bigger. My tree is vigorous and seems healthy. (I ordered it from Garandpa’s Orchard). I’m still waiting to try about half of my varieties. Toka, Kaga and Castleton seem productive and taste very good.
My Weeping Santa Rosa weeps little, I have heard its only when it gets really big that you see the weeping. I know its different from Santa Rosa due to how well it sets, its a very good setter.
I need to get my tree a lot bigger, the birds like it too much and I need a mass of fruit ripening all at once to overwhelm them.
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I cut out a few very very early cm strikes. Fruits have topical scars but look good. I will know when i pick them. But not any usual signs of active bugs
Picked some actual Brookgold plums from my SIL’s tree. My Brookgold turned out to be some sort of red plum. These are small but a nice juicy freestone plum for my zone. I grafted 2 trees for myself so I am hopeful they will do well.
Also my cat Anna has had a good productive year with 3
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Finally a full day and night of rain!!!
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Your local food bank will take them.
Had around 5" of rain all of a sudden this morning, almost a repeat of last year’s flood but the ground sucked up some and it stopped just in time. Still prepared for total destruction though, all the fish will probably bring in raccoons or something 
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I was thinking they must be pretty short on food! Then I saw you were referring to an earlier post!
I have donated several boxes to the local senior citizen center, and they were extremely appreciative.
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Two Elberta peaches to the left, Housi Pear and suppose to be New Century par. The apple is an unripe Jonafree with scab. First time I’ve ever seen scab on an apple.
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How come not much color on Elberta ? Are they always like that?
One was on the ground and one was on a branch that had like 8 peaches and squirrels got to 7 of them, so I picked it because it was the ripest one on the tree. I then set a squirrel trap under the tree.
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