"I notice as you go towards the end of the scaffolding branches, the nodes get closer and closer to a point where they are really close. Are these flowering buds or leaf buds?" On more upright vigorous shoots the nodes are more sparse and the buds more vegetative toward the base of the shoot. Toward the tip, the buds tend to be a few more flower buds. As Hman indicated, you can identify flower buds by their rounder nature. A common combination is one flower bud flanked on either side by vegetative buds (VFV). It's also common to see just one vegetative bud on a node (V). Less common is one vegetative and one flower bud on a node (FV), or two flower buds and one vegetative (FVF), but just about any combination is possible. I don't think a bud will turn into a vegetative bud once it's fully differentiated itself into a flower bud, but quite frankly I've never tested it (i.e. marked a bunch of flower buds and come back later to see if any turned vegetative). I agree spreading branches is the way to go if you have the time. It allows you more options on choosing scaffolds and you'll get a little larger tree a little earlier vs. relying solely on pruning to shape your new trees. I sense you may be concerned about pruning off too many flower buds. You needn't be worried about that on mature trees. Mature peach trees flower so profusely, you'll have plenty of flowers left over regardless of how you prune. Sometimes, flowers can be pretty sparse if it's the trees first crop. In that case you may want to watch what you prune. I've had second year trees produce heavily for their size (as many as 60 peaches) but more often than not they only produce a few peaches (or none).

I read through some of the other posts but I still haven't found any information on whether or not it is ok to replant while it is flowering. So far I have moved it into the bedroom where I leave the shades open all day so it gets lots of light. Since the first buds fell no others have started to shrivel up, so I guess it was just a blast from the cold in my apartment, but it seems to have settled in now. I am still concerned about the pot though, since it has no hole in the bottom. Can anybody tell me if I can replant it now, or if that will destroy the flowers currently in bloom?

Hi Mini, I live in a part of California with a climate similar to yours at this time of year--low humidity, day to night temp range (indoors at the window) of 60 to 85. My Phals are in an ESE exposure, and screened from most of their direct morning sun by a semisheer curtain. They get no direct afternoon sun. They have had winter-spring conditions like these for three years and seem to "like" them just fine, so I doubt that your conditions are the direct problem. You have had the plant long enough for it to have made the adjustment from store to its new home. I'm guessing that John (aerides), in his first post above, is correct and the difficulty has to do with the watering of your plant. Knowing when to water is probably the trickiest part of learning to care for a Phal. If one waters too soon, the plant stays wet too long and is subject to rot. If one waters too late (i.e. after the media dries out) the plant selectively economizes, reducing water to some other of its parts, resulting in a desiccated leaf, wilting flowers, or blasted buds. Being at an open window can accelerate the drying of your plant. Since sunlight, temp, and humidity fluctuate, watering once a week will not always be enough, and sometimes it will be too much. The good news is that you can check. If you gently work your finger down about two inches or so into the media and it feels damp, then your Phal does not need water. If it feels barely moist, then it IS time to water. You do not want it to dry out completely, because (as John also pointed out) the flowers or buds will be the first parts to suffer. Some growers can tell if their Phals need water by lifting the pots: if they are light, they need water. But this takes a sensitive touch and a bit of experience to learn. Others use a rounded off skewer buried 2-3 inches into the media. They pull it out, touch the tip to their lip or cheek, and if it is cool or damp they don't water. Both of these are a little too subtle for me, so I use the finger method. This post may be a little too late for the saving of your blooms, but watering technique is something that you will need to keep your Phal healthy after blooming, as well. I hope it will help, and that your next blooms will give you their full complement of three or more months of joy. Sweetcicely

I also would like to know about micronutrients. I have read quite a bit about there use but I am not sure what to use for this. I really don't have access to that stuff here so if anyone could give me a website that I could buy it from that would be great. So far I have been using miracle grow for graden plants and slow release fertilizer. i have not had any burn and the tree is blooming so I think all is well for now, but I want to be able to give my tree that extra boost while the flowers/fruit are developing. Any ideas? I would also like to go from chemical to organic gardening. I would like to know that what I am eating is not full of chemicals. Thank you all! Andrew