nectarine harvest

[tielan]

I think the nectarine harvest is not going to be very good this year. Nectarines are falling which are already infested with fruit fly larvae.

The tree has grown too big for the netting I have; there were gaps in the bottom which allowed the fruit fly to get in and lay their eggs. Luckily, all the soft fruit that's currently growing has netting bags around it (except the apple). But the tree is going to need a pretty major prune come next autumn - like call up the friends and whittle it way down pruning...

But in the present moment I'm debating whether to pick them all now and process them (canning) or to sit it out and hope for the best...

Comments

[senmut]

Sucktastic choice to have to make.

[tielan]

It's really not great. And I'll probably have to make the decision in the next couple of days because they're already starting to fall with worms in them... :(

[hannah]

Can them, turn them into nectarine butter, bake them into tiny hand pies.

[tielan]

mmm tiny hand pies...

Need to practise making shortcrust pastry in the blender....

[aome]

You have nectarines already?? It's not too early?

[tielan]

The tree sits next to a cement slab (the driveway) that collects sun from about 8am in the morning through until 6pm in the evening right now. Microclimate makes a HUGE difference, and I usually have nectarines and peaches off these trees from late October to mid-November.

[nrgburst]

A bird in the hand, IMO. If there are already larvae like crazy, the problem is not going to go away now, right?

[tielan]

This is true... It just feels like a big thing to be doing right now on top of everything else...

[eggsbenedict]

I'm not seeing much fruit fly activity yet, but I have two-spotted mite instead, augggh >o<

Maybe make a chutney with the green nectarines? Happy to help with pruning next year, it's good fun :D

[tielan]

Well, mine are very ripe and ready to go at present. They are EARLY early stone fruit!

[eggsbenedict]

Oh, wow, that is early!

I'd lean towards just picking and preserving them, but gah, effort. I could try making another umeshu-style wine for you if you're willing to wait 6-12 months for the results, though... I found the perfect jars for it last year :D

[tielan]

I will take any and all umeshu-style wine that you offer. :D :D :D

[eggsbenedict]

Muahaha, I'll email you! :D