Peach tree blooms

17 years ago

Hey I hope someone can answer my question...I live in Jacksonville, FL and planted a Elberta peach tree between 2 1/2 to 3 years ago. It was about 4-5 feet tall and a twig when 1st planted and has grown really fast. The only problem is I cant get it to bloom, it only seems to get about 20 blooms on the whole thing. I planted it in full sun and dont do much pruning to it. The blooms that it does get I notice a tiny peach begins to emerge out the middle of it, but it always falls off when it gets about the size of a marble. I called the nursery and they said this was b/c it needs a pollinator, this doesn't make since to me. I would think that if it needed a pollinator then fruit would not even appear at all it there is no tree around to pollinate it, right?

My biggest question is how can I get my tree to bloom, like with lots of blooms? Does it need a special type of fertilizer to do this?

Thanks for any help :)

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Comments (4)

turtleman49
17 years ago
They do need a pollinator to set fruit... but they also need allot more chill hours that I think you get there. Elberta's use 700/800 hours of chill time
fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
17 years ago
It's probably a lack of chilling that is the problem. Lack of chilling causes sparce bloom and delayed foliation. Many of the leaf buds either don't break or are delayed. How well does your tree leaf out?

There are very few peaches or nectarines that need a pollinator. Elberta isn't one of them. Find a nursery, like 'Just Fruits and Exotics' in Crawfordsville FL 19 mi south of Tallahassee, who actually knows something about what they sell. Get a peach that is adapted to your area. There is no way you can make a peach flower that is always short on chilling.

The Fruitnut
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mark_roeder 4B NE Iowa
17 years ago
The chill hours comments are probably on target. I have understood that it is difficult to grow peaches as you go south of Georgia, but Jacksonville is almost in Georgia.

The fact is too few chill hours did not prevent your tree from getting 20 flowers, and peaches that fell off.

I am in a marginal area for peaches too for reasons opposite of yours, and my then 3rd year Reliance had only 10 - 11 peaches a few years ago the first year it set fruit. You cannot expect many fruit the first year your tree sets fruit.

Elberta needs no pollinator.

There are many pests and fungal disease problems with peach trees. Did you spray? Start spraying shortly after the flowers have gone.

Check with others on whether you need a dormant spray in North Florida at the end of the season.
bejay9_10
17 years ago
I'm in an even warmer zone here in Ca., (a 11), but we can grow Fla. fruit trees. At least that's what I'm told, so this year, I planted a Florida Prince - has less chill hour needs than Elberta and others.

Honestly, I can't verify it's performance - yet. I also planted a Bonanza awhile back, and last year it had a reasonable set for such a young tree. It is a dwarf - and I did manage to get one dormant spray on it - before the rains came, but not much since - it's still raining a lot.

Good luck - and if my little Bonanza produces well this year - (survives), I'll report back. The Fla. Prince is newly planted and I eagerly check it each morning to make sure I haven't missed something - still no sign of life, but branches are supple.

Just my 2 c's.

Bejay