Why Peach Trees Fail to Bloom

Typically, peach trees begin to bear fruit as soon as it they are old enough to blossom on their own, usually around 3 or 4 years of age.  Despite this, there are times when normal peach production simply does not occur.  Usually, this failure to bloom can be contributed to one or more of these following factors:

1.     Tree Health: The simple fact of peach trees is that healthy trees produce high quality fruit. Unhealthy trees do not.  Preventing both disease and insect damage is critical when trying to produce a successful peach crop and appropriate measures,such as the use of  pesticides and fungicides, should be taken early in the season before it is too late.

2.     Environment: Peach trees need a certain amount of cold weather to promote new growth in the spring. If a winter is too mild, new growth can be delayed and slow.  As a result, the blooming period is lengthened and the risk of injury from frost is increased.  On the other hand, if the winter is too cold, the fruit buds may be frozen and killed.  Peach trees are extremely vulnerable to cold weather and as such require the perfect balance of warm and cold temperatures to bloom properly.

3.     Pollination: In order for a peach tree to bear fruit successfully, it must be sufficiently pollinated.  If a peach tree is not pollinated properly, it may blossom but will not bear any fruit.  Fortunately, this is a rare occurrence with peach trees as they are self-fruitful, which means they can bear fruit from the pollination from their own anthers.

4.     Maintenance: Peach trees are like children in the sense that they require work in order for them to grow properly.  They should be planted in full sunlight and have enough space to adequately expand their root systems.  After planting, it is important that the appropriate amount of fertilizer be added to encourage strong growth.  In addition, peach trees should be pruned once a season in order to remove dead and diseased limbs and encourage maximum fruit yield.

Peach trees are fickle in nature and require a moderate winter season that is neither too hot nor too cold as well as adequate care from its growers in order to bear fruit properly.  While temperatures cannot be controlled, proper maintenance can.  Through the appropriate amount of fertilization and careful attention to proper pruning, those who grow peach trees can be sure that they have done their part in helping peach trees bloom properly and in turn produce delicious peaches year after year.

This article was written exclusively for Pick-A-Pepper by Pearson Farm, a fifth-generation family-ownedbusiness dedicated to growing Georgia Peaches and Georgia Pecans.

 

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