Cal Red peach a winner in inland So Cal

So far Cal Red peach fruits for me every year in inland San Diego, even though it is very late. What was most surprising to me is that it fruits on a tree that is still way too small to expect fruit. This is the 3rd year in a row I got fruit.

It is 1-2 weeks later than August Pride and Red Baron. It is sweet and not really acidic, but actually is still very good, equal to those two.

Today I saw that Cal Red is being sold at Walter Andersen nursery, who now carries fruit trees from Burchell’s (Tomorrow’s Harvest). This is worth trying if you want a great peach late in the season.

Does anyone else grow it?

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Are you thinning when fruit sets are almond size or smaller?

Is the tree receiving an adequate supply of potash along with other nutrients?

Yeah, I thinned Cal Red down to only 2 fruits this year, to protect its vigor. That’s a good suggestion to help it out nutritionally. It has a ton of root competition where it is also. I am sure that doesn’t help.

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For our climates here in San Diego county, I recommend something with NPK ratios 3:1:2 May through Sept. for your pit fruits - July and early Sept. being the most important. For example granular 6-2-4 or water soluble 30-10-20. Next time you’re over at Walter Anderson’s in Poway please say hello to my pal David Ross for me. :slightly_smiling_face:

History-
The Cal Red was bred by the University of California botanist Claron O. Hesse in the mid-1960s.

You can buy 3 lbs of them (4-6 peaches) for $55…

Thats around $10 per peach.

Hello, first time posting here. I saw the Cal Red Peach at Walter Anderson in Poway. I noticed that the Cal Red Peach is recommended for zones 5-8 with chill hours of 700-800 per the Burchell’s (Tomorrow’s Harvest) web site. I live in zone 10a and definitely do not get 700-800 chill hours. Does anybody have experience getting the true to fruit in zone 10a?

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I doubt it would work in 10a. Works in a colder part of my yard inland, 9b. Coastal is a lot tougher.

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If you check the link it says zone 3-8.
Thanks for link, I’ve been wanting to acquire Australian finger lime and this nursery has it.

Those statements are not always based on rigorous testing. They are about 80% accurate in my experience, which was better than I expected when I first started testing for myself. Most people should heed their guidance. If not, it should be for a fun experiment, not because you need more fruit. If you need more fruit go with proven winners for your climate.

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I agree they are only suggestion, but that is even 2 zones colder than her zone.
I grow peonies here in zone 10, if you Google, nobody online said they recommend growing peonies in my zone.

I personally think it is a stretch to advertise that this peach can grow in zone 3 and 4 (if they mean outdoors). Peach trees, more importantly, their flower buds, can barely survive zone 5.