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Indian Freestone - Pollination

6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago

I planted two Indian Freestone pits about 5-years ago. The trees produced some fruit two-years ago, but the fruit was really small, and about the consistency of an apple. Winter 2018-19 we had two nights of -30F. It killed my Contender peach tree. It killed the flower buds only on the Indian Freestone trees.

I am aware Indian Freestone trees need a pollinator. The person who sold me the pits told me there was enough genetic diversity that a second Indian Freestone is an adequate pollinator. This year I have fruit but not much. I had a lot of flowers. We had a couple nights in April where it was about 28 - 29F while they were flowering.

My questions: (1) Are these trees so unproductive this year because of the two nights at 28-29F in April, or (2) Are these two Indian Freestones in need of a pollinator of a completely different variety?

Indian freestones grow "true to variety," but is there enough genetic diversity that they can each pollinate the other, or not?