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  • From: Doug Woodard <dwoodard@becon.org>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] peach thinning
  • Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 04:54:03 -0400

With apologies for the late reply, maybe my comments could be useful next year:

What I was taught was: thin early peaches to 12 inches, midseason (Redhaven) 8 inches, late peaches (Madison?) 5-6 inches.

I tended to thin peaches low on the tree and shaded, more rigourously. On sturdy branches close to the centre high in the tree, exposed to sun, I would thin less.

I tried to remove fruits that would be cramped by branches, and to leave those that grew directly underneath or on top of a branch. Similarly I think it's worthwhile to favour fruits that when large and heavy and sagging will not brush against a branch or another fruit, and to remove those that will.

When thinning don't throw the discards at all, just drop them gently.If thinning before the pits have hardened, the thinnings can be left on the ground without harm. After the pits have hardened they will harbour rot. so if at all possible thin earlier (not always possible with early peaches prone to splits) or if possible thin into a basket. or rake up what you drop (counsels for amateurs with not too many trees, wishing to minimize spraying and maximize tree health and lifetime)

Weak trees should be thinned ruthlessly; trees growing at the end of a row, or by themselves, generally in an especially good situation regarding sun and root run, can carry a little heavier crop.

When picking, peaches almost always have to be spot-picked for the ripest, usually three times commercially. It's most important to take a good look at the top, especally at the first picking. Peaches on top in the sun ripen quickest. If you're not careful they will rot - and infect others. They are also the most exposed to bird pecks.

When the weather is very hot, peaches will ripen and soften surprisingly fast off the tree, plan to process or chill them quickly.

A tripod orchard ladder is a good investment, it should last your lifetime. Don't try to make do with a stepladder. It's worthwhile
geting a ladder in which the tripod is secured by a chain, especially picking (usually apples or pears or plums) on a heavy soil which resists penetration by the tripod and becomes slick in the rain. A couple of times I've had to grab for an apple branch and found myself hanging, and had to fish the ladder up with my toes. A picking harness is also a most worthwhile investment, with a few 11 quart baskets for stone fruits and a big 2/3 bushel plastic basket for pome fruits. Try never to put your weight on a sour cherry or peach branch; they are so often rotten.

Dead twigs harbour canker and should be removed. They can also be hard on your eyes if you get careless or rushed.

Doug Woodard
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Niagara Peninsula, to which all my peach experience applies


dmnorton@royaloakfarmorchard.com wrote:
When and how to thin peaches depends upon variety and time of maturity. Thin the early-ripening varieties earlier and more heavily than the late-maturing varieties. For early varieties, peaches grow rapidly at first, then seem to cease growing for about two weeks. For late-maturing varieties, they seem to cease growing for about four weeks. This is called "pit hardening" and occurs while the seeds are maturing. Thin early-maturing varieties at any time from full bloom to three weeks later. Hand thinning should be done in mid-June to a spacing of one peach to every six to eight inches of twig. Make sure the peaches you leave are getting plenty of sunlight. We usually use 1 x 6 boards with a v cut in the top of the board to prop our heavily laden branches up. Peach wood is pretty soft and the branches will bend quite a bit without hurting the tree. What you have to look for is the stress being put on the crotch of the branch where it meets the trunk. Stress cracks can develop in this location and cause the branch to split off or will allow disease to enter the trunk area. Always support a branch with a weak crotch so the weight of the peaches will not cause it to open up. Hope this helps!

mid-June to a spacing of one peach to every 6 to 8 inches of twigmid-June to a spacing of one peach to every 6 to 8 inches of twigDennis Norton
Royal Oak Farm Orchard
http://www.royaloakfarmorchard.com
http://www.theorchardkeeper.blogspot.com
http://www.revivalhymn.com

----- Original Message ----- From: "Jenny Ruth Yasi" <voices@maine.rr.com>
To: <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 07, 2007 10:27 AM
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] peach thinning


Once again my Reliant peach, growing just up over a compost pile and just downhill from an outdoor spigot, is absolutely covered in peaches, and I'm thinning a little bit every day, and I was doing it by looking for the weaker ones, and also the ones further out along the branch, but would love to hear any thoughts on hand thinning peaches.

Is it okay to keep them in groups of two, opposite each other along a branch? If I have a whip type branch, thumb up to pinky finger thin, and it's about three feet long, are 10 peaches too many? These peaches get to be regular big supermarket peach size peaches, and I've been growing them too thickly (broke off the whole top of the tree two years ago from the weight) but now the tree is recovered and all the main branches are trellised to the deck railing, but obviously the thinner branches are going to hang when they are loaded. Is that bending under the weight of the peaches not too hard on the tree, or is it really something people prevent?

Thanks! Going to plant a Korean Pine today!!

Yasi
Maine

Also, I have quite a few double peaches. I'm thinking of letting them keep keeping on.



  • Re: [NAFEX] peach thinning, Doug Woodard, 09/11/2007

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