Domestic options will soon be available for consumers yearning for that sweet, delicious peach. The first of Florida’s peach crop will be ready in late March, according to Jose Chaparro, UF/IFAS Associate Professor in the Horticultural Sciences Department. He said the peach trees have produced their strongest bloom in the last five years. It is due in large part to …
Chilling Out: Early Alabama Peach Varieties Look Good Following Freeze Event
Chilling hours is not a concern for Alabama peach producers for the upcoming season. Potential damage from freezing temperatures is, however, something that may impact this year’s crop, according to Elina Coneva, Extension specialist in the Horticulture Department at Auburn University. “Feb. 15 was an important day for all fruit growers in the state. There were two things that were …
Frozen: Peach Producers Have Limited Options Against Late Freeze
Some things are inevitable every year for Southeast peach producers. That late-season frost event that could damage peach production for the upcoming season unfortunately tops the list. Even though chill hours are no longer a concern, peach farmers are worried that if temperatures warm up in the next several weeks their crop would be vulnerable to a late freeze. “Unfortunately, …
Freeze Effect: Peach Producers Wary of Late-Season Frost
Chill hours are no longer a concern for peach growers in Alabama and Georgia. So, what is their biggest worry heading into the spring? “March 28, the full moon in March. We always tend to have some cold in that full moon in March. But with it being later, maybe we’ll be out of the woods and in the clear. …
Chill Out: Alabama Peaches Looking Good Amid Cold Winter
Chill hours are no longer a concern for one Alabama peach farmer. The biggest worry that Jeremy Calvert has is that his trees will bloom early and be impacted by a late freeze. “We get a week of 60, 70-degree weather and then go back down in the 20s, that’s just not what you want to see,” said Calvert, whose …
Chill Hours Continue to Increase for Alabama Peaches
Alabama peach trees continue to receive high chill hours to help make a crop this upcoming spring. According to the Alabama Extension, chill hours remain high at various locations throughout Alabama. As of early Friday morning, there were 678 standard chill hours at the Auburn University Turf Unit in Auburn, Alabama, compared to 617 last year. There were 860 chill hours …
Chilling Stat: Peaches Looking Good for Chill Hour Accumulation
Chill hours remain an integral part of a peach producer’s hope for a successful year. If the current numbers are any indication, Alabama growers could be in line for a productive season. During a webinar last week, Edgar Vinson, assistant research professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Horticulture at Auburn University, said there was 737 chill hours or …
Phony Peach Prevalence in Southeast
By Ashley Robinson Peach trees are plagued by several different diseases throughout the growing season. But one disease is causing noticeable losses within orchards in Georgia. Phony peach disease, caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, has been challenging for growers ever since its first detection in 1885 near Marshallville, Georgia. Recently, growers across the southeast have reported an increase in …
Peach Chill Hours Make or Break Growing Season
By Mary Leigh Oliver AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Ala. — When picking up a peach from the store, consumers often don’t think about the intricate growth process fruit endures to be store ready. Peach farmers know the importance of nurturing and monitoring the peach growing process. The most important part of a peach’s growth are chill hours. These hours serve as the …
Auburn Extension Specialist Encouraged by Chill Hours Accumulation
Cooler temperatures so far in 2021 should be an encouraging sign for Alabama fruit producers who need chilling hours to make a crop this year. “I’m a little more encouraged,” said Edgar Vinson, assistant research professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Horticulture at Auburn University. “We did accumulate more and more than we originally thought by the end …