昨日から降り出した雨は今日の午後３時過ぎに止んで、４時頃には青空が広がりました。本当によく降った。おかげで棗の新芽が成長しています。
これは２階南向きバルコニーに置いてある無核金絲棗。新芽が30cm超えになりました。
We had heavy rains over the last 2 days. It stopped raining after 3 p.m. today and, by 4 p.m., the sky cleared up. Thanks to the nurturing rain, new shoots on the jujube trees are growing well.
This is Seedless Gold Thread jujube, which is on the upstairs balcony facing the south. The new permanent branches are now longer than 30 cm each.
This variety has elongated branches with nodes wide apart.
元気に成長する苗の新梢の付け根の太さは、前の年の枝より２倍くらいになるのが棗の特徴。
As a healthy jujube tree with robust growth, the new shoots are twice the size of last year's branches.
同じくバルコニーで、物干し場所を挟んで向こう側にあるのは、手前から蟠棗、冬棗、早脆王です。無核金絲棗同様、これらは全て栽培2年目の苗です。
蕾も育っています。
Flower buds are also growing.
A few meters away, there are 3 other varieties. From front to back, Panzao, Winter jujube, and Eary Crisp King. Along with the Seedless Gold Thread, these are all in their second year of growing in my place.
１年限りの細かい枝がびっしり生えています。この品種は節の間隔が非常に狭いので、樹形を低く保ちながら収穫を期待できそうです。ただし、冬棗は若木のうちは実をつけさせにくい品種だそうです。
蟠棗は皇帝に次いで最も遅く芽吹き始めました。この品種は梨棗の枝替わりを選抜して扁平な実がなる品種として確立されたそうです。梨棗（Lizao）は米国およびオーストラリアで根強い人気がありますが、日本では私が棗に興味を持つ前に販売されていたあと今はその名前を聞きません。でも、うちの皇帝の木や果実を見ていると、海外の梨棗にそっくりです。
蟠棗に話を戻すと、去年は１個だけ生っていた実をいじっているうちに落としてしまいましたが、今年こそは収穫して皇帝の実と比べたいです。
Panzao started budding last of all, preceded only by Emperor jujube. Panzao variety was developed from a bud mutation of Li jujube. Li jujubes are well established in the US and Australia. In Japan, they used to sell Li (well before I became interested in jujubes), but I never come across the name these days. However, observing my Emperor jujube (the plant and fruits), it looks very similar to Li overseas. If indeed Emperor is Li, then fruits of Panzao should be similar in taste to those of Emperor.
Anyway, I hope to taste some fruits of Panzao this year. Last year, the tree had one fruit growing but when I was fiddling with the young fruit, it came off, the branch and all.
冬棗は去年の夏に購入したあと勢いよく育ちました。去年のうちにＶ字型の樹形にしたあと、今はそれぞれの先端に新芽が伸びています。
I got this Winter jujube in summer last year and it grew rapidly. I trained the branches to grow in a V-shape and, this spring, a new permanent branch is growing fast on each old branch.
These dense branches are non-permanent branches. The nodes are very close to each other, so I am hoping to harvest fruits keeping the whole tree compact. However, initial years of Winter jujube plants are said to be not very productive.
でも、蕾がたくさん出ているので、今年こそ着果するのでは？
Nevertheless, this plant has lots of flower buds and I am hoping to taste a few fruits this year.
地植え初年度なので、栄養は木を大きくするために集中して実が殆ど生らないかもしれませんが、数年後に充実した木になれば実のサイズも幾分大きくなるのでは。
早脆王は去年に続いて最も早く芽吹きました。去年は２個だけ実が生りましたが、今年はどうなるか楽しみです。
The Early Crisp King started budding ahead of other varieties, as it did last year. I had two fruits on this tree last year and am looking forward to seeing this year's performance.
＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝
今年の春に庭に下した皇帝は、ここ数日で新芽が育ち始めました。
This Emperor jujube used to be in a pot, but I planted it in the ground this spring. The recent rain has brought out the new buds.
Since this is the first year of growing in the ground, the tree may concentrate on growing taller, leaving little nutrition for fruits. When the tree is more mature in a few years, I am hoping the size of the fruits will be larger than they were when growing in a pot.
しっかり蕾が出ています。
Flower buds have come out.
こちらは３年目の日本ナツメ。去年は実がコガネムシの成虫に１個も残さず齧られてしまいました。今年は木酢液を薄めてスプレーしてみるつもりです。
This is a Japanese jujube, in its third year of growth in my place. Last year, scarab beetles nibbled every one of the young fruits. This year, I am going to try spraying diluted wood vinegar. The strong smoky smell of the vinegar will hopefully deter insects.
バラのハンザもぼちぼち咲いています。近くの植物を見回っていると芳香が漂ってきます。
More flowers opening on Hansa bush. When I walk about looking at various plants nearby, I can smell a beautiful scent.
