In My Garden

My yard and garden is in full bloom. I am lucky to have had a bee hive move into my yard a few years ago. Growing fruit trees is a hobby of mine, and because of the bees, I have an abundance of fruit this year, especially on my avocado trees. Pictured here is one of the trees that I am almost ready to start picking from.  

A few years ago I learned how to graft my trees, and I have grafted four new varieties that aren't found in nurseries. Grafting is an easy way to get fruit from an old tree that isn't producing anymore. Or to have several varieties of the same fruit on one tree. 

As a woodcarver, I am very good with carving tools and grafting came very easily to me.  It's a matter of carefully splicing scion wood (which is a branch from one tree), onto one of the host tree's branches and wrapping it tightly so that it stays securely on the branch.  And then hoping the graft takes! As you can see, in the above picture, this graft took very well.

I have several avocado trees in my yard, and luckily they produce fruit at different times of the year. I don't go to long in-between times when I have all the avocado's I can eat, and I often end up giving many of them away as well. And for all this fruit, I really have to give credit to the bees who took up residence in my yard, and who help keep me in fruit year round.