Buddycat: I don't know what you define as a "stub", but if leaving a peach on each one would result in several hundred peaches, you have too many stubs on a 6-year tree and you need to do some pruning. I have two 6-year trees in my orchard of about the same trunk caliper as yours, as well as three older trees. I allow the trees to bloom and set fruit, then prune them just before thinning. Healthy, vigorous peach trees require pruning every year, and I do it just before thinning the fruit, removing many center branches, and smaller growth that is capable of shading peaches. Many of the branches and twigs I remove are laden with little peaches. The objective is to open up the trees to light and air circulation; developing peaches require sunlight to reach full size. If your trees are not open to sunlight, it won't make much difference whether you thin to 6 or 12 inches, the peaches will still be small. I sacrifice a lot of small peaches by pruning as I do, but the peaches that remain on the branches I leave often approach 1 pound in weight. My thinning occurs in about the 3rd week of May, but if too much succulent interior growth occurs later in the season, I prune it off in June or even into July. Like the Fruitnut, I do not work for a total peach number at thinning time, but if I had to estimate I would say that my 6-year trees, now about 8 feet tall with about a 7-foot spread, will end up with about 100 peaches each in round numbers. Please indicate your location with this type of question, so we can get a feel for the developmental stage of your peaches. Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Yes I hold back water, but even more important is fertilizer, or pruning. Both stimulate late season growth. New growth is at risk. Even if you have tip dieback, the tree will survive, and I myself will be removing a lot more than the tips before bud break in early spring. Also I probably will spray them with wilt stop. A wax based anti-desiccant. I'm really using it to protect my blackberries. I lost most of my canes last winter. So those I cannot cover with leaves will be sprayed soon. Any leftover will go on the trees. Well especially Spice Zee Nectaplum as the main leader died back to just above the graft last winter. Branches are thicker this year, all the same a very cool tree I want to protect till it has more girth! OK, let's go back to water. because trees can lose a lot of moisture from drying winds in the winter. You really want them very wet right about now! Sure hold back late season, but you want the tree well hydrated before the cold comes. So about this time of year, resume watering.

It is the beginning of peach leaf curl. Read up on it here.

Thanks. I have read up on fruit moths and every other thing quite a bit. Just did not recognize either of these bugs. Nor can I find them online. I have searched all the local stores and they do not stock the traps. I thought about ordering them but there is some controversy as I'm sure you know about attracting more plus being a little late in the game I decided to not order any. If folks think otherwise that it is not to late etc.. I will get some pronto. Thanks for the just plain water spray and the "good bug"suggestion. Maybe thats why they dont show up on any fruit tree pests sites or books. I went and bought some all around spray and mixed it up and was just about to go out and spray when I figured i'd check this site once more. Now, seeing as I dont see any damage yet I will hold off on spraying. I really do everything organically but with lack of knowledge and everything I read saying spray spray spray every week, plus loosing every peach to the moths I wanted to make sure it did not happen again. This is my first fruit tree but by no means my first plant. Lots of work with ornamental, flowers, shrubs, grass, pretty much everything except fruit trees and veggie gardens. Thanks again. Will hose off the tree tomorrow.