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  • From: Don Yellman <dyellman@earthlink.net>
  • To: griffingardens@earthlink.net, North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Cc:
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Peaches!...now what?
  • Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2003 11:33:15 -0400

Griffin Gardens wrote:
Having a few welcome but unexpected pea to marble sized peaches set on my young trees for the first time, I am unprepared and don't have a clue what to do with them. My preference would be for a no or low spray culture, but is that feasible ? We have hot humid weather from mid-July to mid-August and our big fruit growing problems are brown rot and plum curculio.
Dave
zone 4a


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Dave:

How young are your young peach trees? One year? Two year? Three year? One or two year trees will almost certainly drop the fruit they have set, but a third year tree might hold a few, and, if the branches they set on are strong enough, you can allow some to grow up.

Plum curculio is an early problem on peaches, but, since it has only one generation, is less so than the oriental fruit moth, which can have two, three, or even four generations depending on climate developments. I just assume the OFM is around in my orchard throughout the growing season, and I am seldom disappointed. The pinprick entry wound of the OFM becomes evident with a little blob of pectin on the surface of the fruit, and that break in the skin also provides an entry point for brown rot, which dooms the peach. I have not found any solution for insects on peaches other than an early spray with Imdidan, which also takes care of PC, then regular cover sprays with Malathion or Diazinon up to two weeks from harvest. There are some mating disruption pheromones available for OFM, but they are expensive, and I remain unconvinced they are effective in a small orchard, as opposed to the larger blocks of commercial plantings.

As I proceed with my multiple thinnings of the peach trees, spaced about two weeks apart, I drop those fruits carrying the telltale pectin blob, as well as any that show mildew on the surface. I also prune off bushy growth around and above the peaches to allow light to strike them, which helps them to size up, promotes air circulation and quick dryoff after a rain, and, I am convinced, discourages insect activity to some extent. As the peaches size up, there are always plenty left to adequately fill the tree, and, if I am not careful, to put a significant load on the branches. Peaches treated this way can become quite large; mine regularly weigh in at over 3/4 lb., and some are close to a pound. We nearly always peel peaches before eating, and always scald and peel them before freezing, so I am not concerned about pesticide residues.

Since your trees are young, you don't have to worry much about thinning and pruning yet, and you may not even see much insect activity unless there are significant numbers of fruits on the tree. But as the trees mature, and, with luck, begin to set large numbers of peaches, dealing with OFM and observing good cultural practices will become more important.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA





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