Help with peach tree

I have a peach tree (my first) that is currently either budding or has already developed some small fruits. We are predicted to have a freeze this evening. Should I try and cover the tree (it is under 6') and not that large of a canapy.. OR.. will the freeze not hurt the buds, flowers and new fruit??

TIA

A freeze (28 degrees F) will kill all the friuit that has flowered. A heavy frost will also take out some fruit. If you can cover it, that would probably be a good idea. Note tho that plastic does not work well, Use cloth if if have access to it.

thanks Farmerdill. I have lots of old sheets so it will look like a Martha Stewart linen sale at my place later today... *LOL*

Old sheets are the best. Our forecast has been updated to 29 degrees Sunday morning. My trees are too big and too many to cover. I am praying for cloud cover. Looks like the cold wave hit Florida before it got to us. You must be in the panhandle. It has been five years since I had a frost kill, so I can't complain if it happens this year.

Just some helpful advice here. WE had a peach tree and it was really hard to take care of. If you're very diligent, you can do it, but they are sort of a pain for the backyard gardner. They need to be sprayed for peach leaf curl every year. I know you have to spray them a couple of times before the buds start forming. Then, you also have to watch for borers. I think you can prevent them or reduce the chance of the tree becoming infested by cleaning up very throroughly the leaves, especially around the base of the tree. If at any point you notice saplike substance dripping from the trunk and sawdust, the tree is infested. You want to kill them right away, or I think the tree will eventually die. Farmerdill might know more.

Actually peach trees are easier than apple trees. Peach leaf curl can be a problem, but it does not appear in all sections of the country. It was bad in the New River Valley, but I have had no problems with it here. If you have it, it does require a diligent spray program during dormancy. Borers are more universal and also require a spray program as the the trees began to break dormancy. The plum Cuculio and Oriental fruit moth are the major insect pests. Of course brown rot is also a problem, but all of these can be controled with timely applications of a good home orchard spray, (A premix of insecticides and fungicides) beginning with petal fall.

Farmerdill.. Yep.. I'm in the panhandle.. probably one of the coldest spots in Florida if not the coldest.

Ugh.. I didn't realize that I would have to spray as I'm an organic gardener and use nothing that would hurt my backyard habitat inhabitants. I might have to rethink having bought and planted this tree.

thanks for all the tips and info.

Send it over my way if you decide you dont want it.

Nice to see two locals in here !

Lisa... I'll try it out for a year.. see if these newer hybrids are less prone to problems..

Hi Escambiaguy!!! waving at you from Crestview.

I recently ordered a dwarf peach and a dwarf nectarine. Since my "orchard" will consist of only 4 trees and they won't be fruiting for several years, I am hoping that I can go all organic and mechanical (i.e. hand picking/killing bugs, pruning for air circulation, and eventually netting for saving some fruit from the birds).

According to http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/pages/publicationD.jsp?publicationId=325 looks like "lime sulfer" will take care of most of the diseases that peaches are prone to.

General peach borer info http://www.ento.vt.edu/Fruitfiles/ptb.html
Some organic thoughts on p.b. control http://www.organicgardenpests.com/organicpestcontrol3.html#17

There is *nothing* like the taste of a tree-ripened peach (Ok, I'll concede: vine-ripened tomatoes). Good luck with your cold weather and the peach tree.

well all but three of the new little peaches fell off due to the surprise cold snap.. They predicted down to the mid-30's and it dropped down to the upper 20's.. never, ever, never trust the weather folks... grrrrrr.

I might give that a try (lime sulfer) kmom.. thanks