Build A Canopy To Avoid Peach Leaf Curl

If you want to make it hard for fungus to grow on a peach tree it’s best to set up some kind of canopy over your tree during spring and until flowers are gone. This will keep the tree warm and dry. It must be open in the sides so pollination can take place.
I have moved my peach tree to an east facing wall to delay flowering. Last year the peach tree was growing on a south facing wall which was warmer but the flowers were surprised by late frost. The tree has already put out buds:

I’ll be using the roof as part of the canopy and two planks for the structure:

One end of the plank has been dug down:

The upper end is fastened to the roof with iron and screws:

The peach tree has shoots going in towards the wall, which I’ll have to remove:

And now it can grow vertically closer to the wall:

This is the pruned tree:

It’s possible to stay inside the wooden frame:

I’ve mounted a plank horizontally to stabilize the construction:

It’s mounted with a couple of screws at each end:

Then I just need to mount some clear plastic between the planks to form the shield against storm and rain:

I’ve left a length of plastic at the bottom to be covered with dirt the help keep the plastic in place:

Uhm, nice and cosy, shielded from the rain ;-) :

Hmm, maybe the tree should have been fastened to the wall… But the plastic will only stay on until the flowers are gone, so it will be okay for this season:

You Don’t Have To Own A Nursery Greenhouse To Grow Your Own Food In The City

Get ready for some serious city raised bed gardening. The way she uses PVC pipes to build a small greenhouse over her raised beds is just brilliant. And very simple. See if you can spot the hens:

Here’s another video from the city. I love how happy and enthusiastic the kids are. Look at the skyscrapers, what a contrast:

There really is no reason why you can’t grow your own food in dense city areas.

Get Your Timing Right


Photo by aussiegall.

It’s easy to get impatient and stressed because of the ultimate deadline in gardening: fall and winter. You want to get as much out of the season as you can before it’s over. Your impatience may drive you out in the garden to work when the weather conditions are no good. Maybe you start digging before the hard frost is over or maybe you force yourself to work under the burning sun in the big sandy cloud that arises, because everything is so dry. This is when garden work turns into actual work: Things you do when you would prefer doing something else. So why do it?
Gardening is about learning and having fun. Spring will come. The rain will find its way to the dusty soil. The weather will get better. It always does. And you will accomplish so much more when the timing is right and you’re happy.