Good Lord, Blacklander, you have fruits ripening on May 27 and you want them earlier? Even in zone 8, I don't think you will do much better than that.

I pick Tomcot apricots on around June 21, and consider that very early. You can't grow fruit in the winter.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

blacklander, Spring Satin plumcot is a lot earlier than Methley. The tree was developed for the humid south east.

I keep hearing good things about Tomcot.
Theaceofspades, I found your post about Spring Satin on an earlier thread, and it also looks good.

Early Blush apricot is supposed to be a month earlier than Methley around here. Jerseycot is almost as early and I am trying that one.

Scott

I'm in zone 8a in middle Georgia and picked the last fruit off my Flavorich peach this past Saturday. My next peach I'm waiting on is a white fleshed one called Scarlet Pearl and they will be ready in just a couple of days from now. This is the first year I'll have fruit on my Spring Satin plumcot and they are starting to turn color now, so it won't be long.

Russell

All these varieties to consider!
So far, I am getting the tentative impression that Tomcot, Scarlet Pearl, and Spring Satin ripen before Methley, with Early Blush, Jerseycot, and Flavorich coming in even earlier. With the late freeze issue always looming, of course.

Can anyone tell me of a source for scarlet pearl or spring satin? Also blacklander, I have been told that the first peach to ripen in Fredricksburg is the starlite white peach and it ripens in mid may. I also knew a person a little south of austin that grew florida king and it ripens real early but I think it would freeze up north of town were I am.

Thanks,
Scape

scaper, I got my Spring Satin Plumcot and Scarlet pearl from Stark. Last year they were half price around this time of the year. They both have about a dozen fruit on them now. The Plumcot sets fruit easily unlike some pluots.

Thanks ace of spades. I have been interested in both of those varieties for awhile now as I think they would perform in my zone well. Thanks

Here is a pic of some Scarlet Pearl peaches now. I bought this tree in 2000 from Vaughn Nursery, but I don't think they carry them any more.

{{gwi:103589}}

Now that's a beautiful sight.
In looking up Starlite (thanks, Scaper), I found Springcrest and Regal peaches mentioned several times.

Back to your original question to what might be earlier than Methley. Here in mid Georgia Goldcrest, Flavorich, Regal, Camden, Queencrest, Maycrest, Springold, Springcrest, Springprince, Empress, Sunbrite, Carored, Suzi-Q, PF-1, Starlite all would ripen before the 25th of May every year for me at my location while Scarlet Pearl, Junegold, Glodprince, Derby, and Correll will be within a few of both sides of the 25th of May. All these varieties have 650-850 chill hour requirements. All are clingstones with generally smaller size than later varieties, and some would say not as good of a taste. They tend to be more tart than sweet to me than later on the season. Your ripening dates will vary from mine I'm sure, but if you are picking Methley on the 27th of May we are not too far apart. In my personal opinion Flavorich, Springcrest, Sunbrite, and Scarlet Pearl are the best out of these because of taste and size compared to the other ones in this group. You might look at the Dave Wilson website for some of the newer California early varieties which I didn't list which may be of interest to you. Hope this helps.

Russell

Thanks for the list and recommendations. The chill hour requirement is just right.
Peaches have a better track record in this area than apricots, but I'm still looking at those too. Any thoughts on apricots?

I've always been told that apricots bloom too early in my area to consistently crop, but I planted a Tomcot and Harglow this year. Supposedly Tomcot has an extended bloom period and Harglow blooms a little later than others. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and we'll see what happens in the next few years. Good luck.

Russell

for growing apricots in texas zone 8, google oak creek orchards, brownwood, tx

Tomcot and Harglow sound promising. I hope they do well.

The Oak Creek Orchards website is full of good info. It will take me some time to work through their list of varieties. Thanks for the tip.