After two consecutive winters of records cold in my zone 10 garden, I think I will be planting more cold tolerant plants like peaches too. I may as well make the best of a bad situation. Ugh!
Amber I hope you are able to get some apricots and plums. I have had a California plum tree for about 15 years and it has not grown over 4 feet tall. However, I got tons of plums last spring so I guess it loved the cold of last winter.

Hi
Some ?? about "chill hours" Do the hours have to be consecutive?? What happens when it warms back up as it always does?? gary

Yum. I would love to have a peach tree! I didn't think those would grow here, I'm in Kissimmee

jwahlton, Lukas Nursery should have lots of peach trees. I know they have plums, apricots and apples.

Gary, I don't think the hours have to be consecutive but I am no expert on that one. BTW, I am glad to see you are posting again. I hope all is well with you.
Trini-

jwahlton,

There is a number of 'low chill' peach trees for Florida zonal areas. Check out your local nursery in your area for them. You can also order online if you know your average chill hours. There has been a lot of work in recent years in providing low chill fruit trees for Florida back yards.

Lou

Here is a link that might be useful: list of kissimmee nurserys

I get mine from either Baylaurel nursery,
http://www.baylaurelnursery.com/catalog/lowChillVarieties.html

or Just Fruits and Exotics, in North Florida.
http://www.justfruitsandexotics.com/

Both sell wonderful plants and have great information.
I chose on the very low chill end, because my place stays warm, even by Tampa standards. The Saturn that I got did not survive, but I'll reorder it when I can as it was spectacular in bloom. Of the other three, the one I would reorder is the Florida Snow. Wow!

I have heard both ways about the chill hours...one person says they roll back when the temps go above 45, and another that they are cumulative. All I know is that last year was enough, and my trees set well.

Chill hours are the number of accumulated hours below 45 degrees F.
The growing zones refer to the annual number of chill hours.
From UF:
"In Florida, stone fruits tend to bloom soon after the chilling requirement is satisfied.
This occurence, coupled with alternating periods of warm and cold weather during the late winter
and spring in Florida, may result in early bloom, which is frequently damaged by late freezes.
Because of this hazard, the warmest sites within the orchard
should be reserved for stone fruits."

This link explains a lot about growing fruit trees.

Here is a link that might be useful: Deciduous Fruit for the Home Garden in Central Florida

For spring planting I purchased from Willis Orchards in Georgia;

1. Red Baron Peach Tree 6-7' (1" caliper - Fruiting Size)250 chill hours
1. Sunred Nectarine Tree 6-7' (3/4-1" caliper - Fruiting Size)200-300 Chill Hours
1. Tropic Gold Apricot Tree 5-6' (1" caliper - Fruiting Size)350 chill hours

http://www.willisorchards.com

The Red Baron is a patented variety of unsurpassed excellence. Not only is the fruit a large, beautiful red, but the tree itself is prized for its large double red blossoms that cover the tree for several weeks in early spring. These delicious 3" diameter fruits ripen over an extended period of time from mid-July to mid-August

I was looking specifically for the Red Baron peach tree for the double blossoms and extended ripening.
Lou

That sounds beautiful, Lou. I'll have to check it out. I lost a acerola last year that was my back door garden's pride. I am thinking about a peach to replace it.

Ambersky,

The Willis Orchards in Georgia has a very good variety of low chill fruit trees for our zones and I especially like that they sell all the different price vs sizes to fit peoples budgets. Anybody looking for fruit trees that will set fruit in Florida, give them a try.

Lou

Here is a link that might be useful: orchard trees (many low chill varieties)

With the cold and then the little warm up we had my tropic beauty has a few blooms on it! I'm just wondering how it'll be affected come spring...

jetstream,

It sounds like you bought too low of a chill hour tree for your area. There's still lots of winter left to go. The chill requirement of the tree must match your areas chill times or your tree will bloom too early. Yours is blooming way too early.

Lou

Hi Amber!! How the heck are you? So good to see you. I saw your message on the oldtimers post and wanted to say hi. Congratulations on the degree!

I have been trying to find the silver lining in all this cold and my peach and nectarine trees are it. I have a plum tree that blooms but has never fruited so I am hoping this cold will do the trick.

Jetstream pick the flowers and any remaining leaves off. This happens to my peach trees every year, I think the poor thing thinks winter is over when the temps climb back into the 70's.

Lou tropic beauty peach trees do well in south Florida. I am in Cape Coral and get wonderful fruit every year.