Peaches and Nectarines

Chapter 18

Tree Growth and limiting factors• 15 feet tall.• 20 feet wide• Can remain productive for 15 to

20 years, but usually die earlier.• Flowers are on hangers that are

1 yr old• Yields

– Processing = 18 ton/acre– Fresh market = 10 ton/acre

• Stone Fruit = have a stony pit• Yellow• White• Freestone• Cling• Semi-freestone• 45% are sold fresh market• 55% are sold as processed

• 75% of processed peaches are canned

• 15% are frozen• 2% are dried• 8% are made into baby food,

wine, brandy or pickled.• Processing peaches have a non-

melting flesh. (flesh that remains firm when ripe)

• Prop sticks for processing peaches

Nectarines

• No fuzz• Make up 17% of total

production

Peach

• White = 16 to 17%• Yellow = 12 to 14%• Yellow peaches = 82%

of total production• White peaches = 1%

of total production• 77% of US Production

comes from California• Originated in China

Site Selection

Selecting Rootstocks

• Page 347

Choosing Cultivars

• Page 348

Orchard Layout

• See page 361Medium-low density, open

centeredMedium-high density, quad V

systemHigh-density, V-hedgerow systemHigh-density, V-trellis system

Pruning and training

Orchard Floor management, Irrigation & Fertilizers

• Floor– Winter cover crop– Cultivate 4 to 5 times in summer

• Irrigation– Flood– Micro sprinklers– Drip

• Fertilizer

Cultural practices• December• Peach leaf Curl

Kocide Df 10 pounds per acre

Super 90 Oil 2 gals per acre or

Nu Film P 6 fl oz per acre

• Weed control Preemergent ProgramGramoxone Max 2 pt per acreGoal 2XL 2 pt per acreSolicam DF 2.5 lb per

acrePrincep 4L 3 pts per

acreActivator 90 1 pt

per 100

January

• Dormant Spray Program (Optional)Asana 8 fl oz

per acreKocide 2000 6 lb per

acreSuper 90 Oil 5 gal

per acre• Peach leaf Curl

Kocide DF 10 pounds per acre

Super 90 Oil 2 gals per acre or

Nu Film P 6 fl oz per acre

• FertilizerCAN-17 40 lbs N 19

gallons per acre

February

• Blossom Treatment (mid February)

Orbit 4 oz per acreKocide 2000 1.5 lb

per acreRNA SI 100 1.5 fl oz per

100

March

• Full Bloom / ThripsVangard 5 oz per acreSuccess 6 fl oz

per acreRNA SI 100 1.5 fl oz per

100• Petal fall fungicide/ Insecticide

Bravo 4 pts per acre

Success 1 pt per acre (if dormant Spray is omitted)

• Fertilizer20-20-20 (Foliar) 10 lb per

acre

March Cont.

• GophersPhostoxin 1-2 tblts per

hole

• Phermone dispensers• Checkmate SF 150

disp per acre

April

• Powdery MildewRally 4 oz per acreRNA SI 100 1.5 fl oz per

100

June

• Phermone dispensersCheckmate SF 150

disp per acre

• Notes:• 1) Excessive Nitrogen is not good

for fresh fruit• 2) Spot treatment for some weeds

may require additional treatments• 3) Gopher Program may require

continuous monitoring and treatment

Insects

Peachtree borer

Peach twig borer

Oriental Fruit Moth

San Jose Scale Shothole borer

Green stink bug Consperse stink bug

Omnivorous leafroller adult

Omnivorous leafroller larva

katydid

Crown Gall

Phytophthora

Peach leaf curl

Bacterial Blast Bacterial Canker

Virticillum Wilt Scab

Weeds