UncleEJ Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 Warning: rant ahead! Growing peaches is one of the most frustrating endeavors ever! They are the most finicky, demanding, and temperamental tree. Every single ailment possible attacks them. Constant spraying, watching, crying. Ugh. I am very tempted to drive up to the orchard, buy a bushel or two, and let the approximately 4000 pests have their way with my trees. End rant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevergiveup Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 We get on a spray schedule and they are not that bad to deal with. I truly believe they are one fruit that cannot be organic. We had such a bumper crop last year that the trees broke branches, in spite of our thinning efforts. Then this last winter was too harsh and cold and it killed them, so no peaches this year. My words of wisdom, and keep in mind we are no experts: plant dwarf trees; prune to a vase shape, keep on top of pruning, and keep to the spray schedule. Spraying stops well in advance of harvest so there is little worry about consuming the pesticides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 We had a variety of fruit trees in my backyard when I was growing up. 1 peach tree that grew the best peaches. I think my parents largely ignored the trees. We did lose the peach tree to bora bugs when I was little. I can only imagine the frustration of an entire orchard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleEJ Posted June 26, 2014 Author Share Posted June 26, 2014 I am in Texas, and the more I research about peaches, the more I read that they just don't do that well here. I guess there are more ailments here than other peach growing areas. We pruned, thinned, and sprayed on a schedule. We thought we had done really well, the peaches looked great! Then, about two weeks ago, we noticed peach scab. Ugh. They are still edible but they look bad and will be hard to peel. Oh well, at least we have some I guess! It is just frustrating to try so hard and still not succeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 My dad can grow anything, but his peach tree gives him fits. He refuses to spray, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 My peach tree is heartbreaking as well. I have avoided spraying it with pesticides because it's organic. Next year it won't be anymore. It produces hundreds of shriveled, infested, nasty fruits. We NEED to be able to eat some! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleEJ Posted June 26, 2014 Author Share Posted June 26, 2014 Yeah, I'm willing to bet location has a lot to do with it. Definitely! I guess that what I get for trying to growing something where it wasn't meant to grow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleEJ Posted June 26, 2014 Author Share Posted June 26, 2014 My peach tree is heartbreaking as well. I have avoided spraying it with pesticides because it's organic. Next year it won't be anymore. It produces hundreds of shriveled, infested, nasty fruits. We NEED to be able to eat some! Must be darn near impossible to grow peaches organically. Come to think of it, you don't see many organic peaches at the grocery store. Hmm. I think you will see a huge difference if you start to spray. The peach trees came with the house and we didn't know much about them. The first couple years we left them alone and got the same as you. We have slowly learned how to prune better and what to spray when. Dormant oil is important, and I think you can get it organic. But the pesticides and fungicides are vital in my opinion, but, as I have just ranted about, not foolproof. If your area is humid, you are likely to have more problems with fungal and bacterial problems, like scab and bacterial spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleEJ Posted June 26, 2014 Author Share Posted June 26, 2014 Is there not some alternative? Like some spray that wouldn't be a pesticide... but would repel the bugs? A scent? Clove, etc? I have looked into this and yes there are lots of organic remedies. And some may work. Mostly, though, I've read that with peaches it's a lost cause. Especially in certain parts of the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samiam Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 I see organic peaches at the "organic" stores every year, during peach season. Have been buying them the last few weeks actually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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