Today I found myself doing something that was really hard for me. It goes against everything I believe in and all I have been raised with.
I thinned peaches on our peach tree.
What this means is that I went outside and climbed up on a ladder, and took off the little baby peaches. Not all of them, you understand, but we tried to thin them down to 1 peach for every six inches of branch.
Hubby did not thin well enough last year, frankly we didn’t know that we needed to be so aggressive, and we suffered the “Great Peach Disaster”.
We nearly wept when we saw the tree. One minute is was beautiful and full of fruit, and a few hours later, kaput!
In any case, back to today. Hubby had been sitting in the yard thinning the peaches on the lower half of the tree. When I poked my head out the door to see how he was doing, he had me!
He called me out, had me get a step ladder and the next thing I knew I was plucking peaches for the next hour or so.
It wasn’t necessarily bad work, but it was sad. I saw all those little baby peaches being tossed to the ground, so that the tree would have a good harvest, not one which would break it apart.
The little baby peaches on the ground.
Hubby checked my work several times and told me I wasn’t being aggressive enough. Then he claimed I wasn’t saving the “big” peaches.
I gave him a glaring look that let him know that people who beg for help, can’t be so choosey!
We’ve left the tree for now, but I think we will have to go through and thin one more time before our August harvest.
The thinned tree branches.
Awww the poor little peaches!!
Thinning is a against my ethos as well, but it is for the greater good! 🙂
Hi Mom,
Well, nice at least that you were outside enjoying the day! It was beautiful yesterday, and it sounds like we are in for a good weekend. Let’s be sure to catch up over the weekend about what time you’ll be to my house on Monday morning.
Hope you have a great day today!
Love you,
Mandy
I would have a hard time too, but it must be done. Too bad there is nothing you can make out of the baby peaches, but if they go into a compost they are doing some good there.
you could pickle them!
Aw those poor baby peaches! Next time don’t stick your head outside 🙂 Glad to read that Hubby was outside!
I feel so enlightened peach wise after reading your post.
I can just smell that peach filled air now hmmmmmm!
Sorry I’m late this week – my daughter visited yesterday.
Take care,
Frances
I love peaches. They remind me of summer when I was a kid.
So sad about the baby peachies though. :o(