I just ordered Reliance and Contender from Fedco as they have listed them zone 3/4. I am technically zone 4a but prefer the term 3/4 because it would be zone 3 if not for Lake Superior… Anyway…
How big are these trees actually going to get (20 foot spacing seems optimistic)? How soon will they produce? How long will they live?
I’m skeptically about the trees surviving and don’t expect them to produce fruit every year, or live very long. I’m planting them mostly as an experiment. I do have a nice south facing hill for them.
I’ve heard contender is more reliable than reliance. I’ve also heard the biggest issue is the tree will survive the winter, but the fruit buds will not (although someone smarter than me please clarify if I’m wrong).
For reference, I planted a large contender tree in zone 4b and it’s approximately 8’ tall currently. I got fruit this season, which was delicious. That said, not sure how reliable that is as it was a weird winter/planting cycle. This winter will be the true test…
I added Contender and Redhaven to my root stock order with Cummins. I may ad some more, they had several rated for Z4 in their cold hardy varieties for peaches. I’m a Z4a here, it will be interesting to see how peaches do here.
Yes, I think that is an accurate assessment of the winter issues with peach trees. Generally, the danger is not in loosing the tree itself (although, once you get below zone 4 that certainly can happen and is not impossible in zone 4 or almost any zone under the right circumstances (such as a warm period immediately followed by severe cold). The more common problem is that the tree produces buds and those buds start to swell (making them more tender to freeze) before winter freezes are past). In those cases, you loose the buds/blooms and therefore the fruit, but usually not the tree. Again, anything is possible, but your trees will likely survive most winters in zone 4, but whether you will get fruit most years is less certain, @Duncandog
i put in a contender and a housi asian pear this spring from fedco. also as a experiment. we will see how they fare by spring. as long as we dont get -40 we had last winter i expect at least the contender to make it. the housi is planted on the south wall of my house. its pretty protected there. we’ll see.
I’ll defer to those who actually know, but I understand that with roses (and peaches are a member of the family) that the actual cause of mortality is not so much the cold but the swings; purportedly, by protecting the roots with heavy mulch you can get some susceptible plants through a bad winter.
I have attempted peaches several times, and the whole tree winter-killed. The Siberian-c resprouted from the roots a few times, but is still just a one-foot whip after several years. Plant a pear or apple tree instead.
Keep in mind that spacing dwarfs trees by affecting the amount of real estate the root system itself gets. You’ll stand a better chance to get a healthier and more resilient tree if it has more space for roots even if you have to prune more. All things considered that is, it can still decide to have a heart attack.
On a side note my large at purchase Lapins cherry tree finally bit the dust, it spent 3 years dying back and having less and less green growth, this past year it only put a cluster of leaves. I’m looking forward to dig it up next spring to see what the roots did.