Will we get any fruit? Probably not!

Well it is ripening season here for the Russian Honeysuckle types and boy do the Cedar Waxwings know it. And their friends the Robins are lurking about as well. I thought I would try to see if we could go without nets this year but it looks like the harvest will be meager as these birds are out there early am to late pm. They do not quit and they are so bold. I can stand a fe feet from this arch and they will fly up and complain! There are around a dozen in our yard and they are very persistent. Not sure if I will bother with netting this year now at all. No jam or jelly for us! Boo Hoo! Netting is a big job and I just do not have time for one more job this summer.

Here is a look at the two new little nurseries of 17 month old plants from last year. 

Many had a couple of berries each and of course they are gone too!

Two views of nursery 1. Then the second nursery only has 36 plants and is in the old garden area.

I am always surprised at how well the little plants do once you get them in the ground.

So I promised myself no more plants for now!

Well it just can't be! I was over to Little Tree Nursery for a visit and to have a look at their selection of plants. They do a great job with prairie apple varieties on Ottawa 3 dwarfing rootstock but I have not succumbed to getting any yet. Maybe this year. But while there we talked about propagating Edible Blue Honeysuckle and I thought I should come home and try some now as it is the best time. (I have done some before) So I looked on Google to see if I could find a recipe for organic rooting hormone - mostly since they often have ingredients from around the home. The simplest one is to make a juice from soaked willow pieces about an inch long in a quart jar having strained out the pieces after 24 hours. But the new one I found was to boil 2 cups of water and add 2 tablespoon of honey, cool it down and store in an airtight container. It lasts about 2 weeks.So I made it up and this evening set a number of cuttings as a trial.
The plants I am trying are the EBH, Chokecherry, and Apricot. The tray is one I built from a hint on Mike McGroarty's web sight somewhere. He does have some good ideas. Or a lot of.........................

Anyway I dipped everything except one row of honeysuckle in the honey solution and watered everything in. Time will tell!