To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] pondering peaches in zone 5
Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2010 09:32:46 -0500
Re heavy clay and peaches. I had exactly the same thought as Doug, but then
realised that our peaches grow just fine on heavy clay in TN. It should
slow them down up there in a cool climate, so if you can pick a sunny spot
that dries out and gets warm soil in summer, that would be best. You may
not want to use such a valuable spot for something so iffy though. I
understand that McMinnville nurseries put Jap plum on peach, but I never
heard of putting peach on a plum rootstock, so the reference to Brompton
stock is baffling to me. They only grow peach on peach so far as I know in
the south. It's worthwhile to experiment only if you can get trees cheap.
Otherwise just get some peach seeds from some northern tree and plant them,
may as well be close together because they dont' get all that big and may be
shortlived anyway. Down here, you could be eating peaches just 3 years
after you drop a peach pit on the ground. (Provided you spray the damned
curculios) They are about as fast to produce as anything you can grow.
While your seeds grow, you have about 2 years to track down some suitable
budwood and lose the non-hardy rootstocks. Incidentally, there is no
particular reason you need to bud peaches anyway. The seedlings almost
always make excellent fruit. There is really no such thing as a BAD peach,
unless you buy them from Krogers. How the heck a guy can keep his job who
ruins tons of peaches by incorrect storage is beyond me. Donna
Re: [NAFEX] off topic--pumpkins squash
, (continued)