and be sure to look at the Flamin" fury series too and then help locate some
retail nurseries for these. The Stellar series has peaches that ripen
from -18 to +45 days compared to Redhaven. I believe the Flamin' Fury series
has similar dates.
Here are several unbelieveable descriptions of 3 of the Flamin' Fury
peaches.
PF7 Ripens with Garnet Beauty, two weeks before Redhaven. This is a
relatively new introduction, which has been rapidly gaining in popularity.
It has large, beautiful fruit, unblemished, with probably fewer split pits
than any other peach in any season. Very firm, and bac spot has not been
observed. A high-quality, good colored peach for the season. Biggest
percentage of number 1s imaginable. We do not sort this variety, just pour
them over. It hangs well on the tree.
PF Lucky 13 released in 2004. In my 45-year search for the perfect peach,
PF Lucky 13 is one of the best candidates, this variety could be it.
PF Lucky 13 ripens one week after Redhaven, it has always had huge yields of
very classy, large (2and3/4" and bigger), extremely firm peaches. Very
freestone. Fruit remains on the tree more than 10 days, stays very hard and
keeps growing past when you originally thought it should have been picked,
it just keeps getting bigger and bigger remaining very firm. Almost all of
the fruit from this variety is No. 1 quality. The tree is spreading, and
very productive with good resistance to bac spot. 4 years ago a very
experienced picking crew who was instructed to skim over the PF Lucky 13s
practically striped them because they looked so nice and had good size. They
could not understand my dismay as to what they had wrongfully done until 2
weeks latter when I let them go back to strip the orchard and the strippings
were twice as big and far better than the (nice) fruit they had picked 2
weeks before. This crew apologizes for their mistake annualy at PF Lucky 13
harvest time. I have gotten over the mistake now and make light of it with
them. But wow what a peach! Jerry Frecon, New Jersey hort. agent, liked this
peach very much in his area this year.
"PF Lucky 13 is the only peach I've ever seen that you can pick off the tree
and roll them in the box without sorting. They are a beautiful, radiant
colored peach that sell themselves. It's a great, extremely form attractive
peach, "Michael Churchill of Mike's Farm markets", said.
PF 24C Cold Hardy, Released in (04) - also 24 days after Redhaven. This
extrordinary peach had to be thinned in 1999 with a total crop failure in
Southwestern Michigan from a winter freeze affecting all other varieties. In
2002 there was a very late spring freeze May 21st and 15 varieties all
around this cultivar failed and it again had a full crop. This is a very
unique variety in that it has it all. Usually with a kind that is very
spring and winter hardy like this one, something else is sacrificed, such as
size, firmness, etc. But this peach is also large, firm, highly colored, bac
spot resistant, and has excellent flavor. I believe this one to be of
special interest to anyone with a questionable peach growing location. I
think this is the very hardiest peach and peach tree I have ever seen. The
tree is very tough with strong natural right angles. The fruit has much
better size and quality than other very hardy varieties such as Reliance and
Madison. EVERY COMMERCIAL GROWER HAS AN ORCHARD ON A POOR LOCATION, THE ONE
WHICH ONCE UPON A TIME WAS USED AS PASTURE FOR HORSES AND THE FAMILY COW,
AND THIS VARIETY IS A GREAT CHOICE FOR THAT SPOT. THE QUALITY OF THE FRUIT
IS VERY VERY GOOD.
It all sounds too good to be true. I doubt they will produce in praires of
Canada, but for the rest of us South of North Dakota, things are looking up.
[NAFEX] Stellar Peach series and Flamin' Fury,
Rodney, 01/02/2006