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Growing Peaches in Zone 5 Northern Illinois

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From 1993 to the present we have seen temperatures of 12 to 18 ... PF 7A Freestone - 10 days. PF 24-007 22 days. PF 24C Coldhardy 24 days. PF 25 26 days ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Growing Peaches in Zone 5 Northern Illinois


1
Growing Peaches inZone 5 (Northern Illinois)
or
  • (Growing Peaches Where Some Say You Cant)

or
2
Introduction
  • Royal Oak Farm has been growing peaches for about
    15 years in Northern Illinois.
  • From 1993 to the present we have seen
    temperatures of 12 to 18 degrees below zero, the
    coldest occurred in 2007.
  • From 1993 to 2004 we lost only 6 to 8 trees
    total. In 2004 we planted about 900 new peach
    trees.
  • In February of 2007 we lost over 10 of our 3-4
    yr. old trees planted in 2004 to -14 below zero
    temps that lasted for a period of 2 hours, but
    still produced peaches on many trees.
  • Why could we still produce peaches on many trees
    while at the same time lose trees to -14 below
    zero temperatures?

3
How Cold can they get?
Peaches compared to other tree fruits
How
Berries
Hardy
How
Tree Fruits
Strawberry
-5oF
Hardy
Blueberry (Interspecific hybrids)
-25o -35o
Apple
-30oF
Pear
-25o
Brambles Red Raspberries Purple Raspberries
Black Raspberry Thorny Blackberry Thornless
Blackberry
-30o -15o -5o -25o 0o
Peach, Nectarine
-15o
Sweet Cherry
-12o
Tart Cherry
-30o
Grape American French hybrid
Apricot
-15o

-30o -15o
4
The Key Is The Buds!
  • The temperature at which the fruit buds are
    injured depends primarily on their stage of
    development.
  • They are most hardy during the winter when they
    are fully dormant. As they begin to swell and
    expand into blossoms, they become less resistant
    to freeze injury.
  • Not all blossom buds are equally tender.
    Resistance to freeze injury varies within trees
    as it does between location and varieties.
  • Buds which develop slowly tend to be more
    resistant.
  • As a result, some buds are usually killed at
    higher temperatures while others are resistant at
    much lower temperatures.

5
Peach Flower Buds
  • Flower buds are borne on 1-year old wood
  • Center bud is a leaf bud
  • Large bud on either side is a flower bud

Photo W.Lord
6
Healthy Flower Buds
  • If winter temperatures do not go too low, buds
    will be bright yellow and green inside
  • Low winter temperatures are only part of the
    story temperature fluctuations are the real
    threat

Photo, W Lord
7
If Winter Is Too Cold
Photo W.Lord
  • This bud was killed by cold winter temperatures
  • It will drop off as buds begin to swell in spring
  • Choose the correct varieties and plant on warm
    sites to prevent this loss

8
They Made It!
9
Spring temperatures are generally much more
critical to peach production than dormant winter
temps.
Old standard temperature is the lowest
temperature that can be endured for 30 minutes
without damage. This chart also shows the
temperature that will kill 10 and 90 of
normal fruit buds. These numbers were taken from
Washington (WSU), Michigan (MSU) and North
Carolina (NCS) Extension Bulletins. Peaches - WSU
EB0914 Portions of these bulletins are posted at
Gregg Lang's Fruit Bud Hardiness Page at the MSU
Horticulture Department
10
How Do We Do It?
Key Factors for Cold Climates
  • Site
  • Rootstock Variety
  • Planting
  • Pruning
  • Pest Management

11
Site Selection
Peaches are only hardy on good sites.
  • Well drained soils are essential (Excess soil
    moisture leads to plant injury or death and
    increases risk of disease)
  • Good Air Drainage (frost-free, fruit rots)
  • Hilltop vs slope (hilltops are best for air
    drainage, but winds are worse on cold hardiness)
  • Sunlight All Day Long (plant rows east to west)
  • Access to Water
  • A realistic appreciation of the climatic limits
    of the location

12
Planting
  • Use only native soil for backfill
  • Soil filled with fertilizer amendments
    encourages roots to stay in hole
  • Roots should extend into native soil as soon as
    possible for drought tolerance and anchoring
  • Add fertilizer amendments to the surface around
    the tree and about 12 away from the tree
  • Water as you fill the hole to prevent air pockets
  • Water every 10 days for first season if no rain
  • I am not an advocate of mulch. Mulch can contain
    disease or harbor disease. Instead keep tree
    weed free and ground bare for frost protection

13
Rootstock
While many rootstocks and dwarf trees are
available, planting on seedling or standard
rootstocks is best for peaches.
Photo, W Lord
14
Cold Hardy Rootstocks
  • Lovell A standard in Northern Illinois good
    disease tolerance
  • Tennessee Natural
  • Bailey Seedling standard size, hardy
  • Halford Seedling A proven performer, very hardy

All spaced 12x20 for open center or 10 x 14 for
central leader
15
Cold Hardy Varieties
Varieties or - days of harvest relative to the
old standard Redhaven have been developed for
the upper Mid-West area of theUnited States
  • PF 7A Freestone - 10 days
  • PF 24-007 22 days
  • PF 24C Coldhardy 24 days
  • PF 25 26 days
  • PF 1 - 30 days
  • Garnet Beauty (-11)
  • Harcrest (26)
  • Summer Serenade (sport of Garnet Beauty)
  • Autumn Star ( 45) - new cultivar, 2003 very
    hardy fruit buds, but very late
  • Red Haven
  • Contender (18) - has high chilling requirement
    (1050 hrs) very hardy fruit buds
  • Cresthaven (24)
  • Madison (24) - buds very hardy, but fruit is
    tender does not pack/ship well
  • Redskin (29) bloom harvest is spread out,
    providing more frost hardiness.
  • Reliance (3) - reliable cropping, but tends to
    have poor quality fruit

16
Pruning
  • Unpruned trees tend to produce weak, short growth
    and small fruit.
  • Pruning should be done as close to bud break as
    possible.
  • Keeps the tree within height and width bounds
    affording easier management and harvest
  • Increases the size and color of the fruit
  • Keeps the fruiting wood vigorous and productive
  • Helps in insect and disease control
  • Pruning is an annual process
  • The central leader system is highly recommended
  • Pruning stone fruit trees is based on the growth
    and fruiting habit of the tree.

17
PRUNING AT PLANTING
  • A one-year peach tree may have several side
    branches. After planting, all branches within 18
    to 20 inches of the ground, shoots that are
    broken, and those with narrow crotch angles
    should be removed.
  • Three or four branches with wide angles
    vertically spaced 6 to 12 inches apart should be
    selected for the main scaffolds.
  • All other branches should be cut off at the trunk
    being careful to observe the location of the
    branch bark ridge and branch collar. The leader
    should be cut back to 30 to 36 inches above the
    ground.
  • Lateral branches selected as scaffolds should be
    pruned to 2 to 4 inches long stubs, each having
    one bud.

18
During the second year
  • Remove branches that tend to grow inward or
    straight up through the center of the tree
  • Remove limbs that grow from one side of the tree
    across to the other side
  • Head back (lightly) permanent scaffolds that
    exceed 30 inches with few or no side branches
  • Remove all but 2 or 3 well-spaced side branches
    (secondary scaffolds) from the permanent
    scaffolds. The side branches remaining should be
    at least 30 inches in length and grow out and
    slightly up. Those that grow down, straight up,
    or within 15 inches of the trunk should be
    removed.

19
PRUNING BEARING (MATURE) TREES
  • Peaches are borne laterally on shoots that grew
    the previous year (1-year old shoots). Therefore,
    pruning must stimulate new shoot growth each
    year. The number of fruit buds formed is greatest
    on the longer shoots. Hence, a six inch shoot
    will have fewer fruit buds than a shoot 18 inches
    in length.
  • On a vigorous one-year shoot, three buds are
    usually produced at each node (See Figure). The
    two plump outside buds are blossom buds and the
    smaller bud in the center is a leaf bud.
  • A less vigorous shoot may only have one fruit and
    one leaf bud at each node. Shoots over 18 inches
    in length shoots may even lack fruit buds.
  • The key to fruit production on a peach,
    therefore, is to prune and fertilize to produce
    new shoots each year which are 10 to 15 inches in
    length.

20
PRUNING BEARING (MATURE) TREES
  • When pruning a fruit-bearing tree, the following
    branches (secondary scaffolds) should be removed
  • those that are broken, diseased, or insect
    infested,
  • those that are slender and weak - especially on
    the inside of the tree,
  • those that grow toward the center or straight up,
    and
  • those that grow down and interfere with mowing or
    other equipment.

21
Integrated Pest Management
Integrated pest management (IPM) is a sustainable
approach to managing pests. IPM practitioners
base decisions on information that is collected
systematically as they integrate biological,
cultural, mechanical, physical and chemical
controls.
  • Biological control - Use of beneficial organisms
    to manage pests
  • Cultural control - Crop rotation, improved
    sanitation, and other practices that reduce pest
    pressure
  • Mechanical and physical control - Traps,
    cultivation and physical barriers
  • Chemical control - Judicious use of pesticides
    that pose a low risk to human health, non-target
    species and the environment.
  • Resistant varieties - Use of crop varieties that
    yield well even under high pest pressure.
  • Regulatory control
  • State and federal regulations that prevent the
    spread of pests

22
Overall Spray Program
  • The best control for peach twig borer on peach
    trees is a dormant or delayed dormant spray
    (shortly before bloom).
  • Peach twig borer and Oriental fruit moth can
    cause severe twig dieback and damage to fruit if
    not controlled.
  • Treat peach, apricot, nectarine and plum trees in
    July and August to control peach tree borer
    (crown borer)
  • Cytospora canker is a fungus problem that results
    in bark damage with an amber to brown gum on
    trunk or branches

23
A Complete Spray
  • Insects/Disease
  • Plum curculio, oriental fruit moth, Japanese
    Beetle, mites, aphids
  • Brown rot, Coryneum blight, peach scab


Available at most hardware stores, garden centers
or on-line.
24
Pest Disease Managment
  • Dormant, Before Bud Swell
  • Disease. Leaf curl. Apply dormant copper spray.
  • Insects. Mites, scales. Lecanium scale and San
    Jose scale apply Esteem at 4.0-5.0 oz with oil.
    Use higher rate of Esteem under heavy scale
    pressure.
  • Brown rot. Remove all fruit from trees after last
    picking to prevent brown rot fungus from
    overwintering in mummies and twig cankers.
    Discing lightly under the trees no later than
    first bloom will aid in preventing fruiting of
    the brown rot fungus on old mummies in contact
    with the soil. Clean cultivation is not
    necessary--just disturb the mummy's contact with
    the soil. If this is not done, bloom sprays may
    become more critical.
  • Cytospora canker. Cytospora canker is one of the
    most destructive diseases of peaches

25
Cytospora Canker
26
Cytospora Canker
  • Also known as perennial canker, peach canker,
    Leucostoma canker, and Valsa canker, the disease
    may cause trees in young orchards to die.
  • Infected trees in older orchards gradually lose
    productivity and slowly decline.
  • The fungus attacks the woody parts of stone fruit
    trees through bark injuries and pruning cuts, and
    through dead shoots and buds
  • Visible first is the exuding of gum at the point
    of infection. (gumosis)
  • The canker forms from a small necrotic center
    that slowly enlarges with the collapse of the
    inner bark tissue.
  • Cankers enlarge more along the length than the
    width of the branch.
  • Managing Cytospora canker involves total orchard
    management. Since no stone fruit tree is immune,
    and fungicide treatments alone are not effective,
    control efforts must be aimed at reducing tree
    injuries where infection could begin.

27
Pest Disease Management
  • Pink to First Open Bloom
  • Disease. Brown rot (blossom blight). Blossom
    blight typically is not a problem unless
    temperatures are above 55F, it is warm and wet,
    or brown rot has been a problem in the past.
  • Insects. Plant bugs, green peach aphid.
  • Plant bugs. Applying alternate row-middle sprays
    at reduced intervals should improve control.
    Plant bug feeding injury results in sunken areas
    on developing fruit that is not pubescent. Bugs
    are most persistent in orchards with alfalfa or
    clover sods. Since peaches are most vulnerable to
    catfacing injury at pink and petal fall, do not
    cultivate soil in orchards at those times.
    Cultivation only serves to destroy many alternate
    host plants, thus driving the insects up into the
    peach trees.
  • Oriental fruit moth mating disruption. If
    hand-applied mating disruption is used,
    dispensers should be placed at the pink stage at
    the recommended label rate. All dispensers should
    be in place before bloom.

28
Pest Disease Management
  • Petal Fall
  • Disease. Brown rot, scab.
  • Insects. Oriental fruit moth, plant bugs, plum
    curculio, aphids.
  • Plum curculio. If plum curculio is a problem,
    shorten spray intervals through the first cover
    spray.
  • Green peach aphid. If this aphid is present, add
    Actara, Lannate, or Provado.

29
Pest Disease Management
  • Shuck Split, Shuck Fall
  • Diseases. Scab, brown rot, bacterial spot, rusty
    spot.
  • Insects. Plum curculio, Oriental fruit moth,
    leafrollers, plant bugs, aphids.
  • Rusty spot. Spotting on the fruit of some
    varieties such as Redskin, Many of the new peach
    cultivars are also highly susceptible. Sulfur may
    reduce rusty spot incidence. Follow label
    recommendations.
  • Bacterial spot. Copper in spring and fall. Begin
    weekly applications of Mycoshield at shuck split
    on susceptible varieties. Sprayer air velocity
    should not exceed 100 mph. The first applications
    are most critical for control. Do not apply
    within 3 weeks of harvest. Dilute sprays with
    Mycoshield have provided the best control.
    Spraying at night under slow drying conditions is
    most effective.
  • Green peach aphid.
  • Plum curculio. Same control as at petal fall

30
Pest Disease Management
  • First, Second, Third Covers
  • Diseases. Scab, brown rot, bacterial spot.
  • Insects. Oriental fruit moth, leafrollers, lesser
    peachtree borer, mites, plant bugs, scales.
  • Bacterial spot. Same as shuck split/fall
  • Mites. For mite control, use Fruit Tree Spray
  • Early season lesser peachtree borer. If there is
    only a moderate problem (less than 2
    borers/tree), wait until late summer to apply
    controls If there are more than two borers per
    tree, make an application now and again in late
    summer. This borer attacks weak or injured trees
    in winter damaged orchards and diseased trees,
    especially those with canker. Adult borers
    deposit eggs in wounds from May through August.
    The peak egg-laying period for the first
    generation is in June. Low-volume sprays are not
    effective on lesser peachtree borer. Use only
    high-volume, handgun applications. Be sure to
    cover trunk and scaffold limbs.

31
Conclusion
You Can Do It!
  • Site
  • Rootstock Variety
  • Planting
  • Pruning
  • Pest Management

32
A Nice Peach Crop!
Photo W.Lord
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