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Tag: Trees

Pruning Stone Fruit Trees

Debbie,

April 28, 2023April 28, 2023

It’s that time of year, where we need to think about pruning stone fruit trees…

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Welcome to Merchant Homestead

This is me, Debbie, in my natural habitat. Messy hair, natural face, wearing Dan’s borrowed jersey. This is the happy face of a girl in the sunshine, snacking on peas and picking spinach. It’s a good time and I’m glad you can enjoy it too. Thanks for following along my garden journey.

Hello Spring! Hello plum blossoms! 😍

Hello Spring! Hello plum blossoms! 😍

Shout out to this lil champ of a spinach, making t

Shout out to this lil champ of a spinach, making the best of a bad situation and just thriving in it's tiny brick wall abode. 😅🌱

Well that's a nice view. 😍🐓🥚

Well that's a nice view. 😍🐓🥚

The peach tree is in full bloom, and what a beauty

The peach tree is in full bloom, and what a beauty she is! I really missed the boat on my copper spray this year though so I'm sure, very soon, I'm going to be battling against leaf curl.

If you're further south and spring hasn't started sneaking in for you yet, let this be your reminder to copper spray your stone fruit trees before bud burst! Once the flowers are open it's too late as copper will knock off your friendly pollinators alongside those fungus spores.

For the rest of us who have missed the boat, it'll be curly leaves or diligently picking them off as they appear and tossing them in the bin. 😅🍑

The update you've all been waiting for! If you've

The update you've all been waiting for! If you've been around a few weeks you'll know I harvested a beautiful big head of broccoli from this plant not long ago, and lookie here now. I've got just about a whole extra broccoli worth of florets just shooting up from the sides. So folks, unless you're desperate for the space, don't be quick to pull out your broccoli plants! 🥦🤩

#thegoodlife #urbanhomestead #homegrown #myprideofplace #nzgardening

Got out in the garden today for the first time in

Got out in the garden today for the first time in ages. It was soooo refreshing. Gardens are kind of magic, in the way that you go to sit and drink tea and listen to birdsong and then an hour later you've fed the fruit trees, harvested a load of fruit, collected eggs, weeded a garden bed, done a cheeky prune and had some great banter with the local flock. And somehow you end up more relaxed than when you started, though, with a bit more dirt under the nails.

So anyway, it was that kind of day and I'm just here to tell you if you have citrus trees, now is the time to get them some @tuigardenandhome citrus feed. Their little new season buds will be starting to form and if you want them to get big and juicy and lovely like this pick from today, a feed will certainly help you along.

And as they say, when life doesn't give you lemons, grow your own! 😆🍋🌳

A basketless forage for winter sunshine 🌞 🍊

A basketless forage for winter sunshine 🌞 🍊

Apple bircher breakfast prep for the fridge 😋🍏 #f

Apple bircher breakfast prep for the fridge 😋🍏

#fromscratch #homemadefood #healthyeating #mealprep #breakfastideas

The stone fruit trees have not had their annual pr

The stone fruit trees have not had their annual prune, I'm veeeeery late to that party. I popped out to have a little look at them and there are so many promising little buds. This is the plum, and on those stumpy little branches called spurs, are many many many flower buds which (all things going to plan) will turn into many many plums. The future is looking bright. 🤩

Sometimes there's just not a good spot to pop the

Sometimes there's just not a good spot to pop the phone down and we improvise ok, and sometimes that doesnt work either 😅🥦 #therewasanattempt

#thegoodlife #gardening #nzgardener #harvest

Want to know when to pick your broccoli? Next ti

Want to know when to pick your broccoli?

Next time you go out and have a squizz at your backyard broccoli, look closely at those buds, they should be dark green, firm and tightly closed. As soon as those buds start loosening up or spreading out, or even showing a little yellowy colouring, get that broccoli into your basket.

If you leave it too long you'll see broccoli is actually a bouquet of flowers and every single one of those buds will burst into a yellow blossom! 🥦💐🌼

Need motivation to tackle your laundry mountain? S

Need motivation to tackle your laundry mountain? Same! Come fold with me. 😅👕

#cleaningmotivation #homemaking #satisfying #thegoodlife #hyperlapse

Ventured out to the mandarin tree without a basket

Ventured out to the mandarin tree without a basket today, came back with loaded pockets 🤣🍊

Well it's been a hot minute, but focaccia is back

Well it's been a hot minute, but focaccia is back on the menu! 😋🍞

#thegoodlife #fromscratch #homemadefood #sourdough #bakingbread

A moment please for this delicate pink starburst l

A moment please for this delicate pink starburst little blossom. Just sprouting up from the lawn, and sure, it's a "weed" but that doesn't mean it's not a thing of beauty. Hello flower 👋🌸

If you're anything like me, you haven't removed yo

If you're anything like me, you haven't removed your dead hydrangea flowers from last season yet. Turns out it only takes like two minutes, so let's do it now. 😅🪻

#mybackyard #gardening #flowergarden #nzgarden #gardeningtips

It's porridge season! Time to stock up the oat jar

It's porridge season! Time to stock up the oat jar and unleash warm creamy breakfasts on my unsuspecting family. 🤤🥄

#fromscratch #homemadefood #breakfastideas #inmykitchen #healthyeating

First broccoli harvest of the year! And what a bea

First broccoli harvest of the year! And what a beautiful specimen too. 😊🥦

It's mandarin season and these are some of the swe

It's mandarin season and these are some of the sweetest juiciest little balls of goodness - what a sunny winter blessing 🤩🍊

#thegoodlife #urbanhomestead #growyourownfood #urbanorchard #wintergarden

You can see why they call this dinosaur kale 🦕🦖🥬

You can see why they call this dinosaur kale 🦕🦖🥬

Curried kumara soup, coming right up! 😋 #thegoodl

Curried kumara soup, coming right up! 😋

#thegoodlife #fromscratch #homemadefood #soupseason #dinnerideas

When I say we're having baked beans for dinner, th

When I say we're having baked beans for dinner, this is what I mean 😋

My life now 😅 #nzmum #nzbaby #relatableparenting

My life now 😅

#nzmum #nzbaby #relatableparenting #pov #funnyanimals

Hello beautiful 😍

Hello beautiful 😍

So I was unaware that it's time for the bulbs to s

So I was unaware that it's time for the bulbs to start flowering. We are one day away from the shortest day of the year and already these little bulbs are up and about to blossom! Which reminds me, I have another bag of daffodils that haven't even made it to the ground yet 😅 😬 time to hustle!

Homemade tandoori paste! 🤤🤤 #fromscratch #homemad

Homemade tandoori paste! 🤤🤤

#fromscratch #homemadefood #UrbanHomestead #cookinghacks #homecooking

I love these little beauties. I never planted them

I love these little beauties. I never planted them, they just grow here. And every now and again I spy one of these tiny little flowers peering up at me from under the grass, and that makes me happy. 😊

Easiest way to deseed a pumpkin! Put the knives do

Easiest way to deseed a pumpkin! Put the knives down folks, you only need a spoon. 😊🥄

Loving the butternut in our @wonkybox.nz this season!

#fromscratch #homemadefood #cookinghacks #inmykitchen #soupseason

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