I'm just not meant to have peaches....

Last year it was the Easter freeze and this year....well, did anyone else in the Raleigh area lose an entire tree of young fruit in the recent rains/winds? I'm perplexed--my young tree was full of quarter-sized fruit when last checked a few days ago. Today, its all on the ground. The fruit looks fine--its just all come off the tree. I did not witness rain or wind high enough to do this---has anyone else experienced this? That had to be it, as it couldn't be lack of water, and I can't think of another reason for fruit fall in a perfectly healthy tree. Any ideas?? I'M PEACH DEPRIVED!!!!! And so disappointed......

Yote
The hail last evening was unbelievable --maybe it was not the same in Raleigh? I thought the roof would crash in it was so loud --this was about 1 in the morning. The roof is metal so maybe it sounded extra loud -- but it was really heavy and forceful. The hail was large too. The peonies were down from the other day but NEVER has the lavender been squashed flat by a storm, and this morning it is pitiful. The daphne bush will never stand up again. A few days ago I noticed when I got home from work the rocker was knocked over and I didn't think anything of it because sometimes a renegade wind will blow it over, but then later on I saw the peonies were on the ground and there were small limbs and branches everywhere. The ground was dry and so I was thinking that maybe it happened a day or two before that and I just didn't notice. If you haven't looked at your peaches ---maybe you had the same quick storm.

Oh.....it must have really stormed and, somehow, I missed it? The ground was wet this morning....Anyone in Raleigh know?

this is from wral.com

An upper-level disturbance spawned thunderstorms that dropped heavy rain and hail stones, some as large as golf balls, during the early hours of Saturday.

The National Weather Service received 41 reports of hail and nine reports of wind damage, mostly concentrated in central and southeastern North Carolina.

"You can see a stream of storms that laid down some hail" in a rough line from Stokes County southeast through Raleigh and Fayetteville to Onslow and Carteret counties, WRAL Meteorologist Mike Moss said.

Now HOW could I sleep through THAT? I have been pretty sleep deprived, lately....and my spouse and son are on really great drugs for a cough .....guess they'd sleep through anything....the dog is old and deaf... but me, I have NO excuse.......my poor, poor peach tree!

(smile) IT WAS A RACKET FOR SURE! Good news: over the course of the day the lavender stood up (mostly). The geum weren't so resilient.

FYI - tomorrow is supposed to bring some rough weather - the universities are (as of yesterday) making plans for a quick shift for the graduation ceremonies if it looks too bad.

Ok, this time I am prepared! I've got netting over the blueberries and strawberries, so that should help them, but I guess the roses are on their own (though they did survive the Saturday thing fine.....).

You sure squirrels didn't get to them? Last year my little furry friends got to my peaches before they were ripe. I haven't seen them go after any fruit yet this year but it's about the time they do.

I'm pretty sure it wasn't squirrels, as they all came down at once, and nary a one had a bite in it (you know the squirrels--they always bite one, then discard it for the next one, and so on and so forth till they've sampled and ruined them all...!!). Its a young tree, so I guess if the squirrels got really rough playing in it, its possible they could have shook it so much that many came down, but I doubt it.

Healthy peaches hang on pretty good, a hailstorm would normally take off more leaves than peaches. Check to make sure that your young peaches were not infested with insects. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/ag30.html

We got hit by the wind yesterday and all my peaches are still on the trees. Farmerdill is right I lost more leaves than peaches.

speaking of missing fruit, one of our loquat trees was covered in fruit tht was SOOO close to being ripe that I could taste the tropical sweetness . Last week I came home from school and there was not a trace that they had even been there except the skeletons of the infructecences. Now the seeds which I had been planning on germinating are sprouting all over the yard, no where mere the tree!!!! Ugh I hate squirrels...

By accident I seem to have gotten rid of my squirrels. I had a pine tree get hit by lightning a couple of years ago and it was all rotted this year so I took that down and ended up with one big pine by it's self so I took that one down. The squirrels had free run around my whole yard by 40ft trees and my roof. With these trees gone I seem to have messed up their safe route. LOL. I haven't seen a squirrel for a few months now in my yard. My dogs love a good squirrel chase BTW. I guess they have moved to greener pastures.

Well, then, Farmer Dill, I'm really flummoxed. No indication of any insect damage, I've been spraying for fungal--and the few remaining peaches I've discovered look fine. The only thing I can think of that would cause unblemished fruit to drop is drought, and for once, we aren't having that. Anyone else have any thoughts on causes of fruit drop? Maybe I need to shoot this over to the fruit forum, as I'm still perplexed......

Maybe you can call someone at NC State. Maybe some of those fledgling landscapers will want to solve this mystery! You can propose it to the professor(s)

yotedog,
You may have to do what I did with my only peach tree after 4 years of fighting to get peaches and not getting a one, rip it out and drive to SC and buy peaches! My extension agent said it is nearly impossible for the home gardener to grow peaches. Sorry to be a downer, but nothing makes me crazier than spending a fotune on products and putting time into raising a tree or plant that is suppose to produce something and it fails.

I went to transplant my peach tree a few months backa nd when I dug it up half the trunk below soil level was orange jelly and disintigrated, tree was soon firewood.

Oh, man, that is SUCH a bummer! I have hope! I will prevail!!! Or, at least, go down fighting.....!! Ahh....the eternal optimism of the gardener.....!

hope you get some peaches... that really sounds disappointing

i changed hoe to hope... a typo sorry

This message was edited May 14, 2008 10:25 PM

I'm in a different zone down by the coast and I'm growing Florawon peaches (low chill hour). I planted them last year and ended up with 3 peaches between 2 trees. Furry friends got the rest. This is year 2 and they bloomed fine and have probably 12 peaches on each tree. Only problem I see is some bacterial spot. From what I've read you can't do much about it. Don't know if I'm just lucky?

I have a question. On a small tree how many peaches should I be getting from the ones that start. % wise. Know what I mean? Most blooms start making a peach but they didn't get far and are dropping off the tree, about 12 on each tree are getting bigger and will end up being peaches. Looking around it looks like maybe 25% are good and 75% never grow and drop off. Is that about right?

yotedog...I am so feeling your angst over your lack of a peach crop. Wishing you peaches:-)

Thanks, Tggfisk! Just have to visit Farmers Market, I guess....Problem is, those are all sprayed with icky stuff....which, of course, is why THEY HAVE fruit!!!

CoreHHI--those spots are probably fungal or bacterial, as you surmised. Check online or with a local nursery--you can spray rather "safe" things for fungal, and B. T. (bacteria) spray is often effective for other things. County Extension has some good info on line, as do many of the organic gardening sites. Hope yours stay on! I've only had one "crop," so can't comment as to what is the normal bloom to fruit ratio. So far, mine is zilch....!

Yotedog: I'm wondering if its the variety of peach your trying to grow. I live on an old farm and have a few peach trees that give me so much fruit that last year a large limb broke because of the weight. I have no idea what variety I have because the trees were here long before I was. The biggest problem i have is with the japanese beetles and june beetles eating the fruit before I can get to it. I may be opening myself up for something I don't want to... but this past year I have several volunteer trees spring up. Eventually I have to do something with them so... would you want one? Since they are volunteer trees it's hard to say if they will bear fruit, or when they will bear. Could be 10 years away. Any thoughts?

I would love one (or 10!!!), but, alas, I have no more sunny spots to put anything. My yard faces south, but has trees on both edges meaning a full days sun is possible only in the very center, which is where the current tree is growing. Its 'Georgia Belle' (or is that 'Bell of Georgia'? I forget...), so I'd think it should be fine here. Winter chill was my only question when I purchased it, and obviously, since it bore fruit, that was not the problem. Thanks for the kind offer--I bet others would love to get an older variety, though. You should definitely dig them up and find new homes for them.....

Georgia Belle/ Belle of Georgia, the names are used interchangeably, is an old timer, but still one of the best white flesh peaches for this area. It and its newer improved versions like Carolina Belle are my favorites for fresh eating.

Yep, the one's I've tasted are wonderful, and the tree has done very well......just not the fruit!

Yote, a friends tree here on the coast is loosing all its peaches also. Looked at it last night and she only has 8 peaches left. The ground is covered in fallen peaches.

(((((hugs)))) all

Lavina

Soo sad. No peaches should ever go uneaten. Makes me wanna hit the farmer's market with all this chat about them. Race ya there, lol!

Oh, Lavina--that makes me feel better. Its not just me!!!! I'm not a failure!!! Someone else is too!!!! HEHEH

Came across this thread by accident. Does anyone know where one can buy great Georgia peaches online? thanks, Snug :o)

A not so know fact is that South Carolina is a larger producer of peaches than Georgia. Might help in your search. Have you checked your local grocer? The South Carolina peaches are starting to ripen. I just bought some today that came out of there. At least the little sticker says so.

I agree--I just drove through GA and SC this weekend, and it appears SC has quite a few large producers who, I assume, do sell online. At the least, they probably supply distributors in your area. Problem is, if you buy them that way, they will have been picked when not quite ripe. Online, direct from a farm, is your best option for flavor.

Thank you for your responses. It is precisely what yotedog indicated that prompted my interest in possibly buying peaches on line--the hope that they will be sweeter. When shopping at the local grocery stores, it's a potluck experience since very often the fruit is sour, probably because the fruit is picked green. Will try So. Carolina too. Thanks, Snug, :o)