Our Orchard
Our orchard was planted in a small section of our garden area where garden plots were not deemed appropriate because of its location near the Corte Madera Creek marsh lands. We converted this vacant piece of empty ground, formerly used as a temporary clean-fill storage space, into an orchard with 28 fruit trees. It has been mulched with wood chips and watered with drip irrigation. Harvests are available for our gardeners to share. We invite each gardener to enjoy a few pieces of fruit so all 73 fellow gardeners may be able to partake.
All gardeners are asked and encouraged to help in the orchard at one of our 3 orchard days to thin fruit, prune trees, and pull weeds, etc... and to join in caring for our orchard.. Any fallen fruit should be picked up and put into cans or into the compost. Mummified fruit on the tree should be removed -- it prevents diseases next year.
Our orchard was planted in a small section of our garden area where garden plots were not deemed appropriate because of its location near the Corte Madera Creek marsh lands. We converted this vacant piece of empty ground, formerly used as a temporary clean-fill storage space, into an orchard with 28 fruit trees. It has been mulched with wood chips and watered with drip irrigation. Harvests are available for our gardeners to share. We invite each gardener to enjoy a few pieces of fruit so all 73 fellow gardeners may be able to partake.
All gardeners are asked and encouraged to help in the orchard at one of our 3 orchard days to thin fruit, prune trees, and pull weeds, etc... and to join in caring for our orchard.. Any fallen fruit should be picked up and put into cans or into the compost. Mummified fruit on the tree should be removed -- it prevents diseases next year.
Orchard News Announcement-
Hi Gardeners,
Our Orchard is for the enjoyment of all gardeners.
We appreciate the work of our interested team of loyal volunteers who care to learn how to grow fruit trees organically.
General rule of thumb:
Please take only a few, (1 or 2), (3 if quantity allows), pieces of fruit as you enjoy the harvest, (we share with 73 gardeners), - and please pick up any fallen fruit, pick and remove any mummified dry fruit or fruit with bird damage. This organic “strict sanitation” prevents diseases.- and help pull a weed as you pass through.
Thank you.
Q. When is the best time to harvest from our Orchard? A. When the fruit is ripe. Not before.
Please learn when each of our 23 trees ripens. Observe them and pick accordingly.
Dwarf Meyer Lemon - generally December- February, then some fruit all year.
Bearss Lime - ripen May through October, some fruit all year. For best taste, pick when mostly green, before they turn yellow.
Mott Apple. - early August.
Dwarf Navel Orange - December thru February.
Pound Sweet Apple. - September.
Seckel Pear - September.
Comice Pear. - mid October to mid November, (they turn slightly yellow), then ripen at home 5-7 days.
Nectarine. - mid July.
Mandarin Orange. - fruit remains on tree a few months before ripening from November to March
2 - Liberty Apples - late August
6 - Peach Trees. - late July to mid August - depending on variety.
Sugar Prune Plum - late August.
3 - Colonnade Spire Apple trees -(along back fence) - mid August.
Plucot (Plum/Apricot) - mostly August to September.
Fuyu Persimmon - September
2 - Pineapple Quava - (outside West fence) - The edible flowers bloom in May, followed in late summer or fall by sweet, fragrant fruit that drops to the ground when ripe.
Orchard questions: Contact Coordinator Katherine Jones.
See you in the garden,
Stephen
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Please wait for fruit to ripen before picking and don’t pick too many.
If you pick a fruit, pull a weed!
Many thanks again.
Katherine
Our Orchard is for the enjoyment of all gardeners.
We appreciate the work of our interested team of loyal volunteers who care to learn how to grow fruit trees organically.
General rule of thumb:
Please take only a few, (1 or 2), (3 if quantity allows), pieces of fruit as you enjoy the harvest, (we share with 73 gardeners), - and please pick up any fallen fruit, pick and remove any mummified dry fruit or fruit with bird damage. This organic “strict sanitation” prevents diseases.- and help pull a weed as you pass through.
Thank you.
Q. When is the best time to harvest from our Orchard? A. When the fruit is ripe. Not before.
Please learn when each of our 23 trees ripens. Observe them and pick accordingly.
Dwarf Meyer Lemon - generally December- February, then some fruit all year.
Bearss Lime - ripen May through October, some fruit all year. For best taste, pick when mostly green, before they turn yellow.
Mott Apple. - early August.
Dwarf Navel Orange - December thru February.
Pound Sweet Apple. - September.
Seckel Pear - September.
Comice Pear. - mid October to mid November, (they turn slightly yellow), then ripen at home 5-7 days.
Nectarine. - mid July.
Mandarin Orange. - fruit remains on tree a few months before ripening from November to March
2 - Liberty Apples - late August
6 - Peach Trees. - late July to mid August - depending on variety.
Sugar Prune Plum - late August.
3 - Colonnade Spire Apple trees -(along back fence) - mid August.
Plucot (Plum/Apricot) - mostly August to September.
Fuyu Persimmon - September
2 - Pineapple Quava - (outside West fence) - The edible flowers bloom in May, followed in late summer or fall by sweet, fragrant fruit that drops to the ground when ripe.
Orchard questions: Contact Coordinator Katherine Jones.
See you in the garden,
Stephen
------------------------------------------
Please wait for fruit to ripen before picking and don’t pick too many.
If you pick a fruit, pull a weed!
Many thanks again.
Katherine
Katherine Jones in Orchard
Rosemary De Sanna at Orchard Care day.
Sharon Cadiou gets to pruning.
Katherine Jones waters lime tree.
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Margaret Conner shapes peach tree
Stephen Conner trims tree height.
Shelly Tocchini cuts plum tree branch.
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Katherine Jones, our orchard coordinator
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What we look forward to: summer pears, apples and peaches.
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Katherine Jones
The "Maple Tree" garden, formerly known as the "Fig Tree" garden. (Early Spring).
The Fig tree has been moved to a new location, hence the name change (is located left of our front gate with Maple tree and drought tolerant plants).
The Fig tree has been moved to a new location, hence the name change (is located left of our front gate with Maple tree and drought tolerant plants).
