View Single Post
  #6   Report Post  
Old 26-03-2012, 09:07 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible
Frank Frank is offline
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 299
Default peach tree blooms and frosts

On Mar 25, 8:59*pm, songbird wrote:
* i'm not a fruit tree grower.

* a friend asked me if a peach tree is
in bloom how long it would take for it
to pollinate (assuming bees are around,
etc.) and if a frost would destroy the
developing fruit.

* me guessing figures that if the flower
gets pollinated then the petals of the
bloom don't matter nearly as much as the
central part of the flower that carries
the pollen tubes down to the ovaries. *a
light frost might damage the flower petals
but might not do that much to a more hardy
structure.

* so what do you fruit experts think? *or
what have your experiences been with peach
trees and frosts during bloom?

* of course i told her that she could
protect the tree by covering it or putting
a smudge pot by it, etc. *it isn't so large
a tree that it could not be somewhat
protected.

* songbird


I had a few peach trees years ago and maybe every 5 years or so crop
would be greatly diminished due to too warm weather in February
causing blooming when a lot of hard frosts would follow. The light
frosts were not a problem as frost free date here is May 15.