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"Possibility and promise greet me each day as I walk out into my garden. My vigor is renewed when I breathe in the earthiness and feel the dirt between my fingers. My garden is a peaceful spot to refresh my soul." Meems






Welcome to my Central Florida Garden Blog where we garden combining Florida natives, Florida-Friendly plants, and tropicals.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Peach Fuzz


When I saw fewer blooms than last year on the peach tree in February I wondered if it had received enough chill hours this mild winter to produce any fruit.

In the correct order of things the beginnings of those tiny fuzzy orbs started popping out from the blossoms.

I've been keeping a close eye on them to observe their progress ever since.

There were many more to start with but several dropped off as they matured.

Can you see the unassuming peach tree in the center of the photo (above)~~ it lives in between the ornamentals in the northside berm.

Definitely lacking in abundance but not in cuteness. The fruit that has determined to hang on is healthy and might pretty!

Peaches don't ripen after picked so it's important to leave the fruit on the tree as long as possible. Believe me, I wanted to pick them before the critters noticed them.

It's a good thing I startled a blue jay that was quickly devouring the soft flesh of this peach.

He was my cue to go ahead and pick them off the tree. There was only about 22 on the entire tree. But I'll take 2 ... or 22.

Tropic Snow Peach is a freestone variety that requires about 200 chill hours (below 45F) making it suitable for central Florida. It is self-pollinating and a sweet, low acid white flesh peach.

8 comments:

  1. What a treat to have in the garden. I didn't know that Blue Jays are fruit theives.

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  2. Those look mighty good! What kind of care (fertilizer, water, etc) do these beauties require?

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  3. Gorgeous photos, Meems. Makes me hungry!

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  4. I think I might have to add a peach tree to my garden now! What other fruit trees do you have? I have 2 dwarf mulberries and a cherry of the rio grande.I also want to get a lemon tree..which variety would you recommend?

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  5. This is our peach tree's second year. Last year, there were only 5 peaches, and they all got blown off in a huge windstorm. This year, we must have had at least 50 peaches that we were waiting to ripen. I hadn't been in the back yard for a couple of weeks (broke my foot). I looked from the patio yesterday and didn't see any peaches. Sent hubby out - he said there weren't ANY left on the tree, but there were lots of pits at the bottom of the tree. I assume birds or squirrels got them. Any hints how to avoid this next year? FYI - we have a UF100 that only requires 100 chill hours.

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  6. The peach fruits are very ornamental as well, it is just right at their center, as their muse! I haven't tasted a fresh one only those in cans. But i tasted nectarines in Australia when lots of them fall off from the tree and on to our flat's veranda. I love their colors and the softy downy on them!...www.pureoxygengenerators.blogspot.com

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  7. I didn't know it either, Lisa.

    Aunt Diane,
    Peaches are my favorite fruit actually.

    Daisy,
    They like organic amendments and well drained soil. I haven't fertilized it yet. I will give it a good dose of mushroom compost worked into the soil around the bottom soon and some seabird guano for fertilizer.

    Nanette,
    Thanks. The sight of [eaches make me hungry,too.

    Laura,
    I only have this peach tree and a meyer lemon tree.

    Diane,
    I'm pretty sure the same thing happened to my peaches last year. They were there one day hanging on the tree and the next day they were gone. No, I don't have any hints except to keep an eye on them. I know the conversation over on my FB page suggests things like netting over the fruit to keep the critters from getting to them. But I won't likely bother with that.

    Andrea,
    Peaches have a very similar taste to nectarines. The tree is very pretty when blooming and I even like the pretty gray bark when nothing is on the tree.

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Have a blessed day,
Meems


September 2010

Back Garden: October 2010

Louise Philippe: Antique Rose

Tropical Pathway