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Fruit & Orchards

Staggering Chill Hours Peaches?

8 years ago

I have started replanting Peach trees this year as all the old ones have reached the age where they no longer produce peaches and are dying. I plan to phase this in over the next few years, with 6 or so peach trees total (large back yard). I live in western Louisiana at the southern edge of zone 8b. The issue is that our local chill hours vary considerably as we often get a lot of hours between 32-45 degrees in the winters. Even though the chill zone hours map shows us in the 500-600 hour based on reviewing the online data from the local (now closed as of about 2011) agricultural station, shows a range of 600 - 1200+ chill hours between Nov-March the last 5 years they were open .

This year I planted 2 new peach trees, an La Feliciana
peach requiring 500-600 chill hours depending on the information source, and a Harvester Peach requiring 750 Chill hours. With our very warm winter this year the La Feliciana has bloomed and is setting fruit, and the Harvester is in sporadic bloom as to be expected not reaching chill requirement.

I plan to plant 1 or 2 peach trees per year for the next few years to stagger their ages, and would like suggestions on heat tolerant varieties to compliment what I have already planted, while continuing to bracket our wild swings in chill hours.

thanks Ike.

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Comments (2)

garybeaumont_gw
8 years ago
I have done the same thing in SE Texas for the same reason. I am north of Beaumont with an average in the 500 to 600. My La Feliciana is just starting to bloom. I have a White Delight 2 peach, new from Texas A&M that has been blooming for a week or two and is in full bloom. It is rated at 550. Loring is suppose to be one of the best tasting peach and has a 750 chill hour rating. I would not go above 750-800 hours. June Prince is another variety that is 650 that should work.

You might even want to go with a low variety like Florida Crest at 350-400. It is adapted and mine already has marble sized peaches. Yes, it bloomed very early but with the cold weather coming on Monday it will withstand the cold better than the varieties that are blooming. Gulf Crimson is another that has grown well and has a chill of 400 hrs. All my lower chill peach trees are in their second growing season but they should have as good of flavor as La Feliciana. Florida King has been rated as fair to poor quality. I have stayed away from it for that reason.

Arctic Star nectarine has been blooming for about a week if you want to try nectarine. I planted one last year and it grew very well.

You will also want to look at harvest dates to make sure they don't all come off at the same time. I have also planted a tropic snow and tropic beauty peach tree in 15 gallon pots that i can move if it gets cold. I hope they will last for about 5 years before they become root bound. They have a chill hour of 150 to 200 hours.
Ike Stewart
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks for the reply, it sounds like you are just across the great flood from where I am, I will certainly look into those varieties and am hoping for the best here for Monday. The latest forecast appears to be calling for a low of 35, I am considering trying to give the sensitive trees a bit of heat that night as a couple of degrees may make all the difference.
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That 400 chill hours listed for those apples were erroneous, as Golden Dorsett originated and produced in the Bahamas, so it must be a misprint. The 50-150 is right. Even northern apples are supposed to produce as low chill if leaf stripping is done, according to what you can find on the web. I have 4 northern varieties I'm trying it with, Stayman winesap, fuji, gala and red delicious. Waiting until the trees attain size before allowing fruit. How the fruit stands up to fungus and insects will be another concern. Austin, I'd recommend not stripping the leaves and letting nature take its course, unless they haven't dropped their leaves by March. You could try some both ways to see if there's a difference. Gary
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