Jembo garden progress and termites

Cory will be teaching an agriculture class on Tuesdays like last year. 

The fruit trees are growing well with rows much easier to see now compared to photos from a year ago.

The well didn't work for part of the hot dry season so some trees in the field and nursery were lost to the water shortage and also to termites.

Apple with a fruit

Fruits growing well include: Apple, avocado, banana, citrus, mango, papaya, plum, peach, apricot, fig, olive, macadamia, white sapote, passionfruit, jackfruit, soursop, kiwi, although only one kiwi survived. 

Grapes, pear and lychee growing but not as fast as they should.

Moringa, chaya and mulberry look good as a source of greens (used like spinach and greens are common with local meals).

Termites can take out a small tree over a weekend so it is important to recognize where the large aggressive termites are active and control them.

Completely girdled by termites, there is no recovery possible for the small grafted apple. 

Strategy to make the best of it: propagation.

Also to spray areas the large termites are feeding with a synthetic nicoteine, (Imidacloprid), which should act like a bait to kill the colony.

Salvaged the roots to plant as 23 rootstocks. 

The plant was in a growth flush but if the roots have enough energy reserves they should sprout and grow to be grafted later.

Shield bud taken from the termite tree grafted to a seedling apple in the nursery.

Example of apple root suckers growing from roots left in the ground when a potted apple was moved.

Walk to church Sunday morning

Youth day at church