Jefficator:

You have done the right thing by pruning your peach tree to an open center to allow in light and air circulation. But in your location and climate, that may not be enough to grow peaches.

The clear substance on the peaches is pectin forming at the entry points of the oriental fruit moth. If you are in an area of heavy OFM pressures, you must spray with an effective insecticide on a weekly basis while the peaches are still young, tender, and highly attractive to this insect. Once the peaches grow up a little and the skins are tougher and have some fuzz, you may be able to lengthen the period between sprays.

The spots on your peaches may be peach scab or bacterial spot. Scab can be controlled by spraying with a fungicide, which may be applied in combination with an insecticide. Bacterial spot is more difficult to control, but I have found that one or two dormant sprays with copper (I use Kocide) will generally control this disease throughout the season.

Organic controls will generally not be effective on peaches in areas where insect and/or disease pressures are high. Both OFM damage and scab are enough to render most home grown peaches unusable. I have been growing peaches in Northern Virginia for over 30 years, and if I don't spray in a timely manner, I get exactly what you have.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

I wouldn't assume the pectin is from one specific pest without possitive ID. Where Don is you probably could assume it was from OFM- here it might be from tarnished plant bug or stink bugs and you couldn't kill them with the same poison as OFM.

Rather than trying to get ID on-line, you need to either find the pest yourself and ID it through pictures or provide samples of damage and or pests to your cooperative extension.

It would be helpful to us if you said where you are so maybe someone in your region participating in this forum could match pest with damage more accurately.

Sorry about that!

I'm in Montgomery, Alabama. Chilton County is just north of me, so I suspect that peaches are relatively good from my area, though I'm just starting out and could be incorrect.

I've used insecticidal soap and Neem oil. If these are not enough, what should I use? Is it too late for this year's crop? Can I salvage any peaches?

Jefficator,

Don answered your question, when he mentioned "organic controls will generally not be effective where pest pressure is high."

While it could be stink bug or tarnished plant bug, the most likely culprit is OFM.

OFM has many generations per season (bout one per month). It's probable you've been through a couple generations already. Still, you may have some peaches that have not yet been visited. Try spraying them with Triazicide-Once and Done. It's available in the concentrate form at Walmart. You can alternate this spray with liquid Sevin.

As a possible organic solution, there is another thread currently on this forum where folks are using a Surround and Spinosad combination to control this pest.