Greetings everyone! I had a thread on this peach on Garden web and found out here was the new gathering place. For those who dont recall or never saw it, I bought a Raritan Rose and an 8 ball white peach about 4 years ago now I think it was. Put them side by side and gave them same treatment. RR grew very well, stronger and more than 8 ball. Rabbits or voles chowed down on my 8 ball a year ago in the winter. It was just ready for fruit but it was not to be. So… I ordered another tree from Cummins. I put it in the ground last spring and it did OK. This winter/spring disaster struck once again. My 8 ball died almost to the graft. A very small 3 or so inch side shoot is the only sign of life in my tree. Its maybe an inch above the graft. I also had something growing below the graft which I snipped off. I am doubting the 8 ball will make it. Its smaller than a whip and is hanging by a thread.
Good news is my RR is a fine healthy large tree with mass amounts of blossoms. I should get a nice crop of white peaches out of it this fall.
Please provide a report on how your Raritan Rose tastes when you get some fruit. I’ve heard mixed reports about it ranging from “the best white peach there is” to it being inedible. I may decide to grow it if I keep hearing good things about it.
Does anyone here believe in destiny?? Well… I think mine is to NOT have an 8 ball white peach tree and not have white peaches to eat. My 8 ball was not doing well and the grass grew faster than the tree. I accidentally mowed over the small remains. I think that was the nail on the coffin lid. The news gets a little worse!! I was looking forward to at least some white peaches from RR. I started the season with a good number of peaches on the RR. That number dwindled for reasons unknown, but toward the end there were still more than a few left. Something removed every white peach (and all peaches…). GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
I don’t think I will be attempting another 8 ball white. This is something like year 5 and no report for white peaches from me…
Oh, Dan, I could smack myself when I do something like that. Fortunately for me, there’s someone else in the house who usually does that type of thing. That at least gives me someone I can direct my anger and frustration toward. Besides, I find it easier to forgive someone else than myself.
Those things do happen. The next tree you replace it with (and you will because the itch to grow will return) surround with a protective fence. Even if you don’t have deer or rabbit problems, it will protect the young tree from wood munching mowers and weed eaters.
Next year, maybe you’ll at least get to eat some of your RR. The tree should be larger and stronger and produce more than this year. Also, since you know there is a peach loving critter around, you may be able to give it some critter protection.
Sorry to hear that Dan. If it’s any consolation, I’ve accidentally run over a fairly decent sized peach tree with a bush hog. I’ve hit a couple peach trees trying to get too close with my sickle mower, ripping out big chunks from the trunks.
Mower blight, now that’s a good one , lol. I have had a bit of that in my yard. It seems to strike at random throughout the season regardless of spraying.
Well about time I updated this again. My luck with white peaches is quite bad indeed. For various reason, I have yet to pull a crop from my white peach tree. I keep,getting blossoms but something always happens. This year I have an absolutely horrible case of peach leaf curl on my RR and two yellow,peaches. I actually had this end of season last year but my spray somehow did not fix it. I lost quite a bit of wood and I am guessing this might be the end of,the story for my white peaches. I’ll snap a pic this weekend. Last I looked 3 weeks ago it was horrid. I had no normal leaves. Zero.
Dan, spray copper in early spring before bud swell. I like copper hydroxide. Spraying the right chemical at the right time will help your situation next yesr.
Fortunately for me, there’s someone else in the house who usually does that type of thing. That at least gives me someone I can direct my anger and frustration toward. Besides, I find it easier to forgive someone else than myself.