life's a peach

[BUFFS]

Even though we have had a very cool spring the peach and apricot seem to have set their fruit okay but the fig tree is only showing about a dozen young fruit, about a third of normal crop, but the apples and pears are showing masses of flower buds promising a bumper harvest so it is hopeful of a good year......fingers crossed...

[veggiechicken]

I noticed baby peaches today too
Happy days!

[chrisdb]

Do you guys pollinate your trees manually an/ornprotect your trees, or are you just growing varieties like Tomcot that are supposed to do better here than some of the older peaches and apricots?

I've been put off peaches and apricots by the high risk of blossom damage and the possible need to help out with the pollination.

[Guest]

I have seen diddy diddy peaches on mine Hopefully I will get a glut for my first year

I have some patio peaches and nectarines which have been hand pollinated and are in the greenhouse. My main apricot has lost all its blossom due to frost but I am now training one against the wall that has loads of blossom but I haven't touched it as I shouldn't really let it fruit. My outside nectarines are only now starting to flower and are under a plastic-ish tunnel.

[ESBkevin]

I'm dissappointed, no sign of blossom on the peach or Apricot. Indeed as of last friday apart from a single blossom an a cherry tree nothing else has blossom Apples, pear, plumb, I feel left out!

[BUFFS]

Do you guys pollinate your trees manually an/ornprotect your trees, or are you just growing varieties like Tomcot that are supposed to do better here than some of the older peaches and apricots?

I've been put off peaches and apricots by the high risk of blossom damage and the possible need to help out with the pollination.

I have my peach and apricot under some corrugated clear roofing to prevent leaf damage and I use a child's paintbrush to stroke each flowerhead each day for a week, it works well and even on a poor summer they will taste sooooooooo good..

[BUFFS]

I have seen diddy diddy peaches on mine Hopefully I will get a glut for my first year

I have some patio peaches and nectarines which have been hand pollinated and are in the greenhouse. My main apricot has lost all its blossom due to frost but I am now training one against the wall that has loads of blossom but I haven't touched it as I shouldn't really let it fruit. My outside nectarines are only now starting to flower and are under a plastic-ish tunnel.

my peach and apricot have had no protection, and we have had the icy nights as well, they have set but the flowers do look a bit tatty but we don't eat the flowers thankfully

[veggiechicken]

Mine are in pots in the GH.- mainly as protection against peach leaf curl.
I play with paintbrushes!

[spamvindaloo]

Well, I've got one flower on the peach tree but it is only its second year. Lots of buds and flowers on the cherry and plum trees. It would be nice to get some fruit from them but again they are just in their second year. Apples are just starting to open their buds now. It's all happening! The Mirabelle seems to have flowered and finished though. Don't know if that was a bit early. Didn't expect fruit anyway as I only put it in over this winter.

[ESBkevin]

I went to look at my 'orchard' yesterday evening as the light started to fade.

Second season for them in this location, trimmed espalier style and about 5ft tall going for 4ft spread.
Exposed to the elements
Two dessert apple
One Cooking apple
Victoria plumb
Conference Pear
Peach
Cherry
Apricot

There was a very modest fruiting of the Peach, Pear, Two Apple and Apricot last year but nothing from the plumb, one apple or cherry. Apple and Cherry had fruited in previous location and are established trees cut back now for espalier. I would have expected to at least match last year but apart from one flower on the cherry I see nothing! They were planted last year in good compost and rotting woodchip, they have been constantly mulched with rotted woodchip ever since and have leaf buds (nice uncurling leaves in the case of the plum).

So am I being unduly concerned or is it a little late here in the mild dryish air of Suffolk? Some other peoples apple trees on the allotments are in bloom (by no means all trees though).

[Guest]

My apples and cherries are miles off yet. My plums are only now thinking about flowering. One has been out a week or so (Majories Seedling) but none of the others inc. a Majories Seedling out the front. I think you may be panicking a little early. I would have thought your trees would be about a week ahead of mine. The only one I would have thought would be out is apricot and possibly peach.

[ESBkevin]

Thanks NG, so it's not just me then. Reading about people in Scotland having fruit already set had my brain swirling.