North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Dennis Norton" <dmnorton@royaloakfarmorchard.com>]

We have had peaches every year for over 10 years except for this year and one other in 2002, I think it was, when we had a late frost and had no apples either. 

 

Dennis Norton
Royal Oak Farm Orchard
http://www.royaloakfarmorchard.com
http://www.theorchardkeeper.blogspot.com

----- Original Message -----

From: Scott Williamson

To: North American Fruit Explorers

Sent: Friday, May 12, 2006 6:32 AM

Subject: Re: [NAFEX] No peaches this year

That's interesting.  My grandpa's 'compost pile' peach tree has only missed 1 or 2 years of production in the 10+ years he's had it.  He's up around Ft. Wayne with no lakes or anything close by and his climate isn't all that different than central Indiana.

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From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Whipple, Andy
Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2006 1:43 PM
To: North American Fruit Explorers
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] No peaches this year

Likewise I’m in 5b in east central Indiana, too far from the lakes to have their moderating effects.  My experience over two decades of trying to grow peaches is that perhaps one in three years I have a chance at a peach crop.  As per Scott this appears to be one of those crop years, unless a very late frost, plum curculio, or a hailstorm intercedes.

 

Andy Whipple

 

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From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Scott Williamson
Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2006 1:32 PM
To: Dennis Norton; North American Fruit Explorers
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] No peaches this year

 

I'm in zone 5b Indiana and I have for the first year a bunch of peaches and a few nectarines already.  Very small still, but they are definitely there.  Apparently it didn't affect my area.

 

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From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Dennis Norton
Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2006 1:24 PM
To: North American Fruit Explorers
Subject: [NAFEX] No peaches this year

I don't know about anyone else in Zone 5/5a but we will have very few peaches this year on our 900+ peach trees.  After having consulted with our entomologist who services northern Illinois, Wisconsin, southern Michigan and southern Minnesota, he indicated that is also the case at other orchards in his territory, especially southern Michigan.  Seems like the several +50 degree days we had in January were enough to fake out the peach trees into thinking it was time to come out of dormancy.  Just about the time they woke up, it went to below zero for a few nights and bingo!  We have plenty of buds, but very few blossoms.  Anyone else experience this?  Now, our pears are a different story.  We have more blossoms than we can remember for quite a few years.  Go figure.

   

Dennis Norton
Royal Oak Farm Orchard
http://www.royaloakfarmorchard.com
http://www.theorchardkeeper.blogspot.com