Peach

[veg4681]

Can you grow it successfully in the UK? They say you 'might just about do it' if you're willing to take the extra trouble looking after it (to the point of hand pollination by a paint brush, you know the sort) but there is a big BUT. I noticed that Apricot is more popular among the viners...as presumably they're the easiest before peach then nectarine (not comparing to any other soft fruits).

[bazzaboy]

Not a problem if you've got a reasonably protected warm and sunny spot, V4681 - you're a bit further south than me and mine (only a 2-3 yr old) produced half a dozen average-sized edible fruits this year even with the strange summer (and no pollination prompting undertaken). You do have to protect them against cold rain in Spring (they blossom early though not as early as Apricot which I've also got and which produced nowt this year...). It's worth cruising the Net via Google for additional (and sometime contrary) info - for example I've got mine against a warm West brick wall and sure enough there's many sites saying that's perfect and one professional site saying wherever you plant it don't use a West facing wall Can't win! (The logic of that professional advice is evidently that if you make it too cosy it will blossom even earlier thereby increasing the likelihood of peach curl caused by cold rain....). The other thing to decide early (and this is possibly costly experience talking) is how you intend to prune it longer term because the way I intended (espalier) evidently isn't possible with peach (I don't see why but that's what the pro's say) so I'm left with a bit of a pruning shambles on that front. But heh ho, what's new?

bb

[Nicos]

We are growing a jalousa (sp??) peach in the greenhouse in an espalier shape.
Unfortunately we lost 9 panes of glass in the spring storms and then got hit by frost which caused all the blossom to turn brown and drop off.
If we'd managed to replace the glass sooner, I reckon we'd of had a fair few peaches. ( local suppliers had sold out of glass due to the weather)
It doesn't take long to hand pollinate with a bit of cotton wool, and you would allow 1 peach per square foot using this method ( we allowed a bit more than that the previous year, and they were superb.)
This was it's 3rd summer.

They guy in the next plot has a huge peach tree in the same shape, but his has a brick and wooden building behind it which must hold in more heat than our greenhouse.

Well worth a try!!

[veg4681]

Bazzaboy
I think we can say that espalier is allowable for peach tree (as has Nicos done). I wouldn't worry too much about what certain findings say. With a bit of Googling, I seem to derive the conclusion that for best outcome, you could have a Peregrine variety Peach in fan-trained shape against a South facing wall.

For tree siting, my immediate option is the wall of a tin shed (made of corrugated metal) which is perhaps too hot when the sun's shining and too cold when it's chilly. I suppose I could put a wooden fencing against the wall.

I think you could use either chilling or heating (make the plant too cosy as you put it) to your advantage. If I want early crop and the plant's too cosy, I could set up a make shift umbrella to protect it from the cold rain (planning on a dwarf variety). I seem to remember that the strawberry plants had to be 'chilled-to-delay' for Chelsea show because summer had come too early, something like that. So it's up to you what you want and take the strategy that best suit your needs which you may want to change over time.

Anyway thank you both (Nicos) for your replies, very much appreciated and encouraging to learn that there are people who have made the peach work even in the British weather.

[bazzaboy]

Hi v4681 and Nicos, Just reviving the espalier/fan discussion for a mo, thanks for comments and yes, if you prune and tie it as an espalier then espalier it will be but I think the point that the pros are making is that that isn’t the most sympathetic way to maximise fruit. If you look at the way blossom/fruit develops on the peach, fanning probably maximises the chance of fruit whereas espalier probably reduces it…. The pruning books (with the red lines of where to cut) hardly ever look like the tree I’m trying to prune so it becomes more like a game of chess or backgammon, “Shall I do that? Or that?”

So I’m left wondering two things….
a) Can you retro-train as a fan if it’s a bit older than a maiden? – I suspect not but would welcome advice if anybody knows as I'm willing to give it a try, and -
b) what's the best way of improving pruning skills/knowledge, e.g. are there evening courses in such things?

bb

[Nicos]

Ha!!!
I've no idea what I'm up to with the secateurs other than following the wording in one of my books which to be honest is as clear as mud to me asI am new to all this fruit growing!!!
I keep peeking at the neighbours plants and try to match mine to theirs!!

I reckon any tree would revert back to a funny shaped tree if you stopped pruning it, although it'd probably be a bit lop sided???

Perhaps I'm the one who should be asking your advice????

[diggerdelaney]

http://www.brogdale.orgtry this web site i believe the do courses on pruning mind you it is in sunny kent
hope this helps someone

[Nicos]

http://www.brogdale.orgtry this web site i believe the do courses on pruning mind you it is in sunny kent
hope this helps someone

Thanks for that!
I wonder if they do 'distance learning'?????

[bazzaboy]

Thanks dd, might be pos, I come from Kent and still have relatives in Minster.... This place is in Faversham, Bob Geldoff country no less, might give it a try. Interesting that the Brogdale Trust is financed by Tesco!

bb

ps Nicos - distance learning should be OK if you can get hold of a very long pruning saw!