Our majestic peach we purchased 4 years ago, produced fruit the first year, then produced what should have been fruit, but failed to ripen the second year. And last year, it barely bloomed and we didn’t get anything. I was devastated. I keep thinking it’s because of where we planted it, but everything around it grows year after year with ease. I still haven’t figured out how to fully prune it knowing which branches (should they bear fruit) can/can’t handle the weight. I have fertilized it. And it’s blooming new branches. So I know I am doing almost everything right.

As I have talked before, most peach varieties, especially the majestic peach is a self pollinating tree. What I don’t see, especially now that it is blooming again, are pollinators doing their work on this budding beauty. It’s in a fenced in area (to protect from deer) and I am thinking it inhibits pollination, too. After a bit of interweb research, I found the best tool– a paint brush! I thought of using my finger, but the pollen just sticks to it and doesn’t transfer well. A paint brush allows the pollen to collect on the fibers so you can easily distribute to the next plant! Here’s hoping this crazy idea works. My spouse already thinks I am nuts for trying it and my neighbors probably think I am some sort of crazy plant lady. I figure, if I spend all of this time purchasing and taking care of something then I need to nourish it for the future, right?

I’ll wait until it’s in full bloom to try my hand at “painting” again. It seems very Alice in Wonderland of me. Haha. I just want some damn peaches this summer. And I want enough to share because I remember the first ones I had were far better than what can be purchased in a super market. And I love to share the fruits of my labor. And since we lost most of what made our homestead, well, a homestead in 2019, it would be nice to have that love of self-reliance again. If only briefly.

Happy painting!