Stark Giant White Peaches

[MaryDel]

WOW!!!


I've had one of these peach trees for about 10 yrs. It's been pruned so it's taller than most peaches since I'm well over 6'. I used to spray the tree by the schedule on the fruit tree spray container, and almost every year I'd lose almost my entire crop. I almost cut the tree down, it seemed like too much of a PITA, just for some fresh peaches.


I've only kept it because I love using peach wood in my barbecue. It is hands down the best.

So this year I decided to just use carbaryl insecticide and spray the tree each time it rained. I fertilized, evenly dispersed, four times from petal drop to four weeks before expected harvest. I only had to water the tree once this season.



I thinned the fruits so no fruits would be touching when ripe. I'll thin them a little more next year most likely.


I've been picking these beauties for five days now. The first day I got a dozen, today it was close to 5 dozen. If you've never eaten a tree ripened white peach you don't know what you are missing. My ten year old son ate one and said it was sweeter than candy. They are white with a nice red blush in the flesh. They are clingstone when the fruit is still slightly crunchy and tarter, and freestone when the fruits are fully ripe. They are the juciest sweetest peaches I have ever eaten when completely ripe. What a treat. I am eating about ten per day. I've picked at least 75 so far, and there are at least 150 more on the tree.


I also have a nectarine that will come on in august, I can't wait to try that. Does anyone else have any peaches that they feel are oustanding? I'm sure I'll be planting a few more trees come springtime, and I need a few suggestions. I am hooked.


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[planter]

Wow is right Mary!! That is some fine looking fruit. Makes me wish I had peach juice running down my chin right now! Nothing like a peach so juicy you have to eat/slurp them down outside.
It sure beats store bought that look good but are either crunchy or mealy and you never really know until you get home.

[MaryDel]

I wondered how long before somebody called me Mary



MaryDel = Maryland/Delaware......the small town I live near


I hated spraying all that Sevin on them, but I guess there is a reason that peaches are among the most highly sprayed fruits or vegetables there is.


Ron

[planter]

Mary/Ron.. Call me anything but late for supper. Your fruit still looks pretty good....

[applestar]

Yeah, I was trying to decide if I wanted to comment about the Sevin or not....
(You DID read this [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8520]sticky[/url] right?)

What kind of insects bother your peaches? I probably get the same ones here and should be on the look out for them. I have a Carolina Belle peach tree that has started to fruit this year.

I don't think I can let my tree grow that big as I'm nowhere near 6' tall but I hope my tree will do 1/2 as well as yours some day.

[MaryDel]

I've read all up on carbaryl. From what I've read it's one of the least benign chemical insecticides out there.

The fruit tree spray I was using says right on the bottle to only spray peaches 6 times, and the chemicals are much harsher. Those I know who attempt to grow organic here normally end up with no crop at all. The local Orchard sprays their peaches(carbaryl only) more often than I do. IMO, there are some things you cannot grow here w/o insecticides, peaches being at the top of the list. I'm not about to stop eating peaches after 45 years

I believe the main insect problem I have here is oriental fruit moth. It may be possible to control them using moth balls hung in the trees. My wife's grandfather uses that method with varying results.

[applestar]

I read about [url=https://www.homeorchardsociety.org/printarticle/45/]this[/url] last year, but forgot about it until it was too late this spring (it was a BUSY spring ) I also missed my chance to use Surround, which I already have Then I read an [url=https://www.homeorchardsociety.org/printarticle/50/]updated article[/url] for the above idea. I'm definitely going to try it next year. (A NEW PROJECT!)

[applestar]

You got me wondering about organic control to protect the peaches!
I found [url=https://www.greenharvest.com.au/pestcontrol/oriental_fruit_moth_info.html]this Australian website[/url] with great info. Trick with utilizing the Southern Hemisphere resources is to remember to add/subtract 6 months when talking about seasons, and that North is South, so to speak, when talking about sun exposure. I guess folks on the Southern half of the planet are making similar mental conversions when reading our posts.

I'm a bit relieved since my Garden Patrol membership is pretty diverse already, and they are pretty much working full time. I've seen the ichneumon wasp mentioned in the article in my garden too. There was a Praying Mantis egg case (ooth) on top branch of the apple tree this year so hopefully the apple tree was pretty well protected too.

[MaryDel]

This tree is still producing strong. I WAY underestimated how much fruit I had. I've been picking two to three plastic grocery bags full every two days for the last week. There is still one large branch full of peaches that have not ripened. I picked 3 bags this morning and processed half of them while the wifey is out shopping. I'll be enjoying these peaches into the winter at this rate. If anyone is looking for a good peach tree for zone 7 this is it!

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[OnlyOrganic]

WOW that is a lot of peaches. YUM YUM