You don't mention where you are writing from. I somehow suspect it is far away from my New York state location. I will not hazzard a guess here but your questions show an interesting combination of knowledge and ignorance in terms of gardeneing knowledge.

You are right that USDA climate zones are not complete in evaluating desirable varieties for any different zone. Length of growing season and the intensity of sun (latitude, primarily, but amount of cloud cover as well) cannot be appraised by average lowest temps.

Most people rely, to some extent, on the success others have in their particular climate rather than looking for some statisical data that will completely supply guidelines. Of course, serious gardeners usually like to take chances occassionally on varities that they can't be sure about.

Do you live in an area where you can contact other local fruit growers? This would be where I'd start my investigation of what to plant where I live. Meanwhile, tell us where you live so we at least have a point of reference.

Harvestman, His MYPAGE says he lives in Finland?? Luke

Finland southern climate from Wikipedia:

"Finland has a humid and cool semi continental climate. The climate type in southern Finland is a northern temperate climate. Winters of southern Finland (average temperature of day is below 0) are usually 45 months long, and the snow covers the land about 4 months of every year, and in the southern coast, it can melt many times during winter, and then come again. The coldest winter days of southern Finland are usually -20 C, and the warmest days of July and early August can be 25-30 C."

0 in Celsius is freezing
-20 C is -4 F
25-30 C is 77 to 85 F

Well it doesn't get too cold and it really doesn't get too hot. Most peaches can easily handle - 4 F. But the latitude is equivalent to Alaska. Cabbage family vegetables do well in cool summers with long days. Peaches, try an early bud hardy variety like Redhaven. But I would check what peaches are growing locally. There are also dwarf patio peaches for tubs.

I would venture to guess if peaches can grow there they are growing there. There must be a Finish gardening site. Not many peaches grown in northern Europe, except as espaliers against south walls, right?

Hi

I am back, sorry for the delay of responsing those replies i got, i saw them already, but i did not reply to them.

Hi Harvestman. I live in Finland, southern Finland more exactly (Or southwestern Finland). Yes you got it right i am far from your state New York. Thanks for explanation about your growing thing compared to USDA zones. I think so too growing peaches/fruit trees is more than USDA zones.

Hi Luke_oh you got it right. I live in Finland.

Hi Theaceofaspade. Your post about southern Finland was quite good, quite accurate i meant, but i think our weather is little different nowdays, warmer, compared of that you wrote. I write some comments to your text.

Finland has weather type somewhere between maritime and continental weather type. Maritime weather type is in western Finland and more continental weather type is in eastern Finland. I have that more maritime weather type i think rather than continental weather type.

Then you wrote about our winter. Snow doesn't cover 4 months in winter every year in my opinion, but perhaps most year. We can have days in winter when there is not much snow on the ground, or no snow in ground, this can happen mid winter sometimes, but i don't think it is big problem here, because when snow is not in ground, it probably is because it has been melted and that means temperature was 0 Celsius or above. Here when temperature is low and air is cold, then usually have snow in ground (I think usually so but no guarantees for that). Luckily so, i think snow cover protects fruit trees roots.

Then you wrote coldest days are around -20 Celsius. Our winters are variable here, some years are colder and some are warmer. On year 2008 we did not drop above mentioned - 20 Celsius on any day. I think we can drop to - 20 Celsius many years, but cold don't last very long, we usually recover it in few days in my opinion. Recover to about less than -10 Celsius in day i think or so... Also as is case in year 2008 temperature may drop down and recover during same day too, for example 16.2.2008. that happened (high -3 C, low -17 C, average -10C). I didn't specifically check that date, whether tempeture first drop and then recover or first higher temperature and then drop, if yout think it.

Then you said warmest days of July and early August can be 25-30 C. You are correct. I think this true, additionally it is also possible tempereature reach 25 Celsius in june, that happened year 2008. Sometimes 25 Celsius is also reached in may, but it is not as common as are those above 3 months.

I think overall your text was quit good and accurate.

Right 0 C is 32 F freezing, - 20 C is - 4 F that is right, 25 C is 77 F that is correct also, but 30 C is 86 F not 85 F, but you got it about right.

Thanks of being encouraging Theaceofspade. That was nicely to say and positive thing you said "it doesn't get too cold and not too hot". :) Thanks of it.

You said latitude is equivalent Alaska. You are right i am about same latitude as Alaska, actually if i would go directly to the west i would end up Anchorage, Alaska U.S.A. No thanks, no cabbage, i do not like much grow wegetable, sorry. But there is big difference in mine locations, and Alaska. Do you know it Theaceofspade? I think you should or at least have hear it some part of your life, as you live in Long Island, which is in New York state (I assume so.). Right it is gulf stream. Gulf stream keeps us winter significantly warmer than what our latitude would suggest, for example compared to Alaska is colder in winter generally (Or at least some parts). Look for example zone map and see what happens same latitude where you are but more westerly, zone drops as moderating effect from Atlantic ocean goes smaller.

You also said " Peaches, try an early bud hardy variety like Redhaven. But I would check what peaches are growing locally. There are also dwarf patio peaches for tubs. "

What is your determination of early bud hardy variety? Does Early means that fruit ripens early? Can you say/be more accurately it? I have feeling/think it means early ripening variety. You can fix it if you had other determination of early term in this context. You asked what are growing locally. I know someone here grows Red Heaven peach variety, also saw Frost peach variety is grown in Turku and has survived 2 winters (If i remember right, 2 winters).

Hi Harvestman. I think peach trees are growing here. As i said to Theaceofspades, Red heaven and Frost varieties is for sale here and i think both of those are also grown here somewhere. About your question, i think you are right not many peach growers here, but we are comperelatively small country by population and not very long time we have tried to grow peaches here i think. (Many do not dare to try it ), because it is not so hardy than other fruit trees (Some also have bad memories about cold winters, when many fruit trees died).

Hi

I am back. O.K. time to get some peach growing data and suggestion. I found this thread in Gardenweb :

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fruit/msg070120159262.html

I found 6.7.2009. message interesting and in my opinion i found many encouraging things about it. In that message someone from Minnesota, U.S.A. has been trying to grow peaches.

First on the list is thing winter hardiness is much more than minimum winter temperatures. I Agree that, i think too so growing peaches is more than average lowest temperature. Harvestman also referenced to this. Second he said conditions in autumn are at least important than winter minimums also he said started with word especially. He used words "especially" and "at least". Also said fall conditions are almoust never given attention they deserve it. Exactly, i agree. I have also think early variety peach tree, so tree can harden to the winter. I think this is positive thing here in Finland where i live. Here autumn continues quite long considerired how north i am before winter comes, which good thing i think. Also think about it, as i am north there is also quite dark in autumn, which helps shut down growing and helps putting fruit trees to rest and to go to winter hardening stage. Also here is quite humid air in autumn, so dew points are relatively high and rain might occurs and that might provide also snow to the ground, if cold occurs. Above thread also discussed that sudden cold and no snow cover is not good combination. Also as i have previosly said humidity cuts daily high and low temperature, that way stabilize temperature and that way prevents sudden temperature drop here.

Second he talks about southwest injury. I think i have never heard of it before that. I have not hear that in Finland i think, but i have hear something about painting tree white. I think we should remember writer was from Minnesota, U.S.A. So i think his writing about southwest injury might apply there. Thanks of explaining southwest injury (I think writer might not see it, but any way i said it). I think i got the point here. He said farther north you are bigger risk of southwest injury. I need to think this little bit. Not so fast mr. I think this is not as simple as it seems. In northern hemishpere sun is stronger more southern location than northern and also more northern you go after march equinox and days get longer to northern until june solstice around 24.6. I have said previosly generally lowest daily temperature is little bit after sunrise. So now let's think about it. In winter we have darker, daylight length is lower here in Finland, than other parts in U.S.A (Expect Alaska, U.S.A.). Plants need daylight to grow and short days (daylight) helps keeping plant dormant in winter. Light is one of two things which push plants to grow other one is temperature. Mine northern position also means suns power to wake up trees in winter is weaker than in more southern position. We also have darker days from september equinox to march equinox. But after that (Equinox) in spring things change. I here Finland got longer daylight hours until september equinox, so days got increasingly lighter. So this means temperature have less and less time to drop after sunset. This drop time is less than U.S.A. expect Alaska, U.S.A. this is positive thing i think. This means after march equinox days gets increasingly long and temperature rise also increasingly compared to winter. This means in may when days are long, temperature start to be enough high for plants to grow/bloom but then is already enough warm generall expect cold days and sun angle is not damaging, because snow is melted here already where i live. Hope you got the point here. Also he said high pressure, i think Finland has usually low pressure control in winter (More often than high pressure).

Then he talked about zones and said often zone 5 plants have survived his zone 4 winters. And also said often higher zones plants can tolerate low temperatures but can't reharden after warm spell. I agree, i think so too you can try warmer zone plant, if you do not have warm spell so hardening plant do not undo that hardening (Hopefully that plant is able too make peaches enough early so it have time to harden properly, just a mine opinion.).

Yes i remembered right, peaches need only 1 year to produce fruits. One mild winter i meant.

That was few thoughts about that article and how things look like in my perspective regarding those tips. Hope this helps give you some ideas about growing season and weather here regarding peach trees.

Although I have no personal experience with this (I pretty much live in "Peach Heaven" !) I googled this question, and found this impressive slide show about growing peaches in improbable climates.

Carla in Sac

Hi

Hi Sautesmom no need to feel guilty if you do not have experice of this, you can still give advice. Thank you of link Sautesmom.

Also i got little bit thinking wind chill how it affects peach trees too, peach buds i meant (If i remember Harvestman has said previosly something about it too, not sure altought, i might remember wrong).

Almost all varieties of peaches are fine until about -17 F. if they are hardened off. Hardening off becomes a question in extreme weather because trees harden off gradually as water is removed from cells. If cold comes early when there is too much water the cell walls burst and the cells die. The most vulnerable cells are in the flower buds. Peach leaf bud cells and cambium cells are hardy to a much colder temperature. They can generally survive temps down to around -30 F.

In the middle of winter trees are most hardy. It is unusually cold early and late winters that often cause the most trouble.

It is ironic that dessicating winds can increase the potential winter injury when it is expanding water within the cells that cause the injury. I guess it's not really the dessication but the increased removal of heat wind brings but I really don't know. Anyone else have a clue?