Dennis, I'm not sure what you are looking for exactly. There are countless sources of variety descriptions. Probably the most complete modern book I have seen is Okie's book, "Handbook of Peach and Nectarine Varieties". It is pretty hard to find and I have never seen it on the Internet, but it describes all of the modern varieties available in the US.

Scott

One you'll find in any good library- "Register of new fruit and nut varieties" Brooks and Olmo- is the standard reference. American Society for Horticultural Science publishes it.

I am living in Southern California and have one peach tree. Only last year we started having peaches. They are very small and not very sweet. Now the tree is bare and we have a lot of spindly branches at a very full top. Should we prune this tree??

Dennis:

You must have a very strong desire to share, or it is a particularly long, cold winter in Finland. I can't imagine how much time you must devote to producing one of your blockbusters on fruits that do not even produce very well where you live. Nevertheless, it doesn't hurt, so keep up the good work, I guess.

For Monrovia:
A crowded top is not a very good shape for a peach tree. Ideally, a peach tree has an open center with spreading scaffolds to allow sunlight to directly strike the producing branches and especially the fruits themselves. If your lower branches are not spread, spread them, and prune out busy growth in the center of the tree. Small, sour peaches can be the result of insufficient light penetration, but peaches must also be heavily thinned to achieve full size and quality. I thin off over 90% of the hundreds of peaches that set on my trees, selecting the largest, fastest-growing, undamaged fruits for retention. Final spacing of peaches should be a minimum of 6 inches apart, though 8 inches is better. Overloaded peach trees often suffer broken branches that thinning can easily prevent.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Hi jellyman,

Wow! 90% is a lot. When exactly is the best time to thin them out?

Sandra

Sandra:

The time to thin peaches is when you can identify the fastest-growing, best located little fruits, that are undamaged by any of the early insects or early mildews. This might be anywhere from 10 days to 2 weeks from shuck split.

This recipe is for people who want to grow large, beautiful, full-flavored peaches. It's for the best, not the most, and it assumes you have a heavy fruit set, as many peach trees do.

Actually, my thinning may be a little higher than 90%. When I am finished with a tree, the ground is covered with baby peaches.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Sandra,

I've no firsthand experience in lack of chill because it's not an issue in the Midwest, but no one has mentioned the problem of inadequate chill hours as a possible problem. I've no idea how many chill hours accumulate in southern CA, but I suspect it's not much. Do you have a low chill peach suited to south CA? The symptoms sorta sound like inadequate chill:

-Foliation at the top of the canopy only.
-Small fruit.
-Reduced fruit quality because there are not enough leaves to support the fruit load.

Of course, as Don points out these same symptoms can be caused by inadequate thinning and pruning, but I thought I'd mention chill as something to consider.

Does this thinning approach applies to all fruit trees? I also have apples, pears, Asian pears and plums. I just purchased them so don't expect fruits for a season or two but it's never too early to learn. :)

olpea,

monrovia was the one asking about his/her peach trees. I was just budding in for further clarification on jellyman's comments. I did do a lot of research prior to purchasing my fruit trees so they are all low chill varieties (all under 450 hours). Good observation though...

Sandra

Sandra:

I thin all apples to one per cluster, and occasionally remove all fruits from a cluster when two clusters are very close together. Asian pears are notorious oversetters, and if you don't thin off more than 90% you will have either small AP's or broken branches, or both. Some growers snip off fruiting spurs to reduce fruit set on AP's.

Japanese plums usually overset heavily too, and commercial growers grab gobs of small plums and pull them off to thin them. I am more delicate about my plum thinning since I am not guided by commercial labor constraints, but the results are about the same. European plums and pears may require substantially less thinning, but the same basic principles apply.

Obviously, very young trees just beginning to bear will require much less thinning. But when they reach full production, you will have to do it or you may be disappointed in fruit size and quality.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Hi Scottfsmith

Good that you said you are not sure what i am looking for. Sorry if i wrote it little hard way it. I have found shop which sell peaches. Red heaven was variety as i said earlier. So i started to look information about peach varieties. We here Finland do not have a lot of peach varieties available, i think this is quite new thing this Peach growing here. I have found shop in Italy which sells peach trees. In it internet site it says any plant anywhere on title and registration page has place to choose country. So i think they might ship it to here. On that site i saw peach varieties. Glohaven, Redhaven, Cardinal, Babygold 6, Springcrest, Springtime varieties was listed which are from U.S.A. (Many of them). Those varieties which i posted describtions above. So i did to search peach variety describtions english and then also italy language, which i translated to english using Google translate. I tried to get information about them, where they grow, how hardy they are, what they taste, when they bloom, oh and yes maturity timeline. Not much information available from mine country, but something. I asked some way does someone have own growing experiences. I have seen some post here about people growing peaches, i remember your old variety post, one people from Colorado asking peach varieties, i think she onemilehighgirl, sorry if i wrote id wrong (I think that came from woman) has Cresthaven peach and also that North Dakota people having peaches, altought he, Troman1973 id if i do not remember wrong last time i remember thought moving into blueberries. I found it hard to find some variety describtion on internet, especially Cardinal. Frost is little easier, but some hard finding there too. Cardinal variety From Georgia U.S.A. if i remember right. But found this on it :

Cardinal medium fruit with bright red over yellow skin; flesh is yellow, firm with a melting texture; freestone from Georgia. Early midseason harvest.

Springtime is white flesh peach. As i said i haven't tasted white flesh peach so i asked what is taste like. I have found now on internet they are sweet.

Yellow flesh are more acidic. Can you tell me what "acidic" exactly mean? Is that same kind of flavor than red currants? Sour, no i think. What kind of acidicidy they are referring?

Here is some peach variety describtions :

http://www.harvestwizard.com/2007/06/peach_varieties_there_are_more.html

I looked that Italy site, because they have more peach varieties, which are not available (I think so) here.

Springtime, Springcrest varieties seems to be earlier than Red haven. I think it might cost more to buy trees from Italy, but if there is some good peach varieties it might be worth a try. Other choice would be just stay here and buy peach here.

What you think about Peach hardiness? I have seen USDA zones and chilling units on internet. I have read that post on peaches here in Gardenweb, i think it make sense many ways. I have feeling that it is important peach to have enough time to ripens fruits and hardening to winter. As that post says hardiness is more than zone.

Springcrest has 650 chilling units requirement and i have seen it to grow on the following places :

Alto, Georgia, U.S.A (Ripens 5.6.-12.6. when i wrote that down, but looks like this information is no longer available.) .
Brentwood, California, U.S.A.

Also saw picture from Australia. This variety is for sell in New Zealand.

I found Springcrest also to be in recommendations list in Georgia peach and nectarines for home use in different Georgia zones. Zones 4 and 5 says page, which is southern Georgia, U.S.A. for example Tifton, Geogia U.S.A.

Here is the link :

http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/C741-W.HTMl

Cresthaven was for zone 1,2,3 on the list.

So looks like things are not as simply. Above i mentioned just that there is many things to consider, if you have something lack, maybe you can justify it by another thing.

What firmness means in peaches?

http://www.caes.uga.edu/commodities/fruits/gapeach/varieties.html

Says Springcrest is high firmness. I think it means peach do not go soft and holds it's form good way. Did i got it right?

Correction to mine message, i wrote New Zealand has opposite season (Altought i do not see at this moment orginal message.), i meant opposite season compared northern hemishphere. New Zealand is located in southern hermishphere.

Thanks of book name but i looked in it google and you seemed to be quite right about that it is hard to find.

Eskota hi

Thanks of book name. I looked little bit in it and found 1 peach variety describtion.

For Monrovia:

Most peach varieties set fruit on one to four year old wood. You may very well need pruning to encourage more new wood, not just what is at the top of the tree.

To encourage new wood, you need to remove about 1/4 of last years new wood when you prune. You should see some results the next season, but it will be better still in two or three seasons.

Finland!
Not exactly good Peach growing country. I'd opt for something like Black Currants and Raspberries up there, and possibly some early ripe Apples, but Peaches?
Of course, I try to grow some very marginal plants in my garden too, and so if you have the urge, I would check for a real cold hardy one like Reliance Peach.

Hi

I need to fix little bit mine above message. I wrote one word to my message and after i tried to send the message, i got message was not posted. Actually it was not those words, in case you think of it but it prevented me to post that message. So i removed that text, so yes if you have feeling is something missing on my message, yes there is missing text because it message didn't went throught with it.

I have found on internet in Czech Springcrest peach has beared fruit every year. That site put it on Zone 5 plant.

One site in internet put Springcrest zone 4 plant.

Mine point above was Springcrest peach seems worked there, while having only 650 chill units requirement. I think early ripeness might have played role there.

Hi Boizeau, are you screaming there? As you have ! mark in your text. You said "not exactly peach growing country". Well that depends how you take it. Do you mean people growing peaches or commercial growing peaches? I have read we are trying to grow peaches here. You say "I'd opt for something like Black Currants and Raspberries up there, and possibly some early ripe Apples, but Peaches?" Looks like you haven't read mine previous messages. Well no problem i can tell you. We have black currant already in our garden, as well as we have raspberries and apple tree. Also i have said earlier mine messages i have read on internet one peach variety has survived winter here. I think it might be nice to grow peach tree. As i posted above people from North Dakota, U.S.A. also tried grow peaches. So if you grow marginal plant in your garden, why i can't too? Why you (many) are so negative about this. Thanks of the link, i think i might have been checed that internet site.

Hello Dennis,
You are doing a great job translating. You understand the meaning of "firmness" very well. I think "acidic" is like orange juice, sweet but with a little sour taste, too.

Don't worry about Boizeau. He might think Finland is buried in snow all year long. ;)

Growing peaches is wonderful. Standing in the sun eating a ripe peach off the tree is a heavenly treat.

Do not worry about chill hours as much as hardiness. Hardiness is important - I think you will have enough chill hours for all peach trees.

I have a Redhaven peach tree from Cummins Nursery. It was recommended for my cold weather (zone 5). Any peach with "haven" as part of the name was developed to take cold weather as they were developed in Michigan. It is a wonderful peach and you cannot go wrong starting with a Redhaven peach. It is sweet and flavorful and firm to pick but you will have juice running down your chin when you eat it ripe off the tree. Much better tasting than store bought peaches.
My Redhaven ripens in August here in Michigan in Zone 5. My other peach is a Madison and it ripens a month later in Sept. It tastes good also but did not produce as well or taste as good as the Redhaven.

I have a Mericrest nectarine that also produces delicious fruit. It ripens just after the Redhaven peach.

These are my 2 favorite fruit trees in my garden.
sam

Hi Frugalgardener thanks of saying i did great job of translating. Thanks of explaining sour word.

Correction i wrote "Thanks of the link, i think i might have been checed that internet site." that should have been Thanks of the link, i think i might have been checked that internet site. Forgot k character, small mistake i know, but wanted to fix it.

Finland is not buried snow all year. Winter has snow, but summer do not have snow, at least here southern Finland.

Thanks of encouragament that peaches taste good.

I think you are right about hardiness, that it is important.

You said you have Redhaven peach and it was recommended your cold weather (Zone 5). I have been thinking this way zone do not tell whole part of story. I think if peaches have enough time to ripen and tree to harden to winter, it can probably handle the cold (To some point). So i would think about growing season as well as zone. You have probably warm summer and growing season which allow your peach tree to ripen fruits and prepare for winter (To get ready for winter). Here Gardenweb was article about growing peaches, which said hardening is much more than lowest average temperature and it says " Often the zone 5 rating reflects a trees inability to resist re-hardening in a warm spell when the weather turns cold again". Also said " Tender trees can survive severe cold, often colder than they are rated for, if they remain in deep dormancy". This messages came from zone 4.

Thanks of Redhaven peach describtion.

Dennis:

First, I'm sorry if this is repeating, but this is a pretty long thread from your original question.

Have you checked out Raintree's trees, link below? They have several varieties from Canada, and those would be your best choice, I would think.

Nobody has mentioned this, but I think the most difficult thing would be: Where are you going to buy these trees? I would think it would be hard to find places who will ship to Finland, and if your local nurseries had them, you would already know which varieties would grow in your area and you wouldn't be posting here.

Carla in Sac

Dennis,

As I recall from some of your other posts, your winter temperatures were really not that cold. If I remember correctly, minimum winter temperatures in southern Finland were some thing like minus 10F. If that's the case, you'll have no problems growing peaches. Some peach varieties can take temperatures down to minus 20F. Although there are isolated cases of peaches tolerating temperatures colder than minus 20F, it's a bit much to expect regular cropping, or tree survival below minus 20F.

Being that far north, I can't imagine you'd have any problems meeting the chill requirements of any peaches.

I agree with Sam. Redhaven is an excellent mid-season peach and should do well for you.