Hi everyone. Iāve been an appreciative reader since I found this forum a month or two ago. My family moved to Alaska in 1971 when I was a kid and Iāve been here ever since. I coasted through some minimal gardening without much interest nor success, then in the fall of '15 a local nursery owner told me she grew peaches here in a greenhouse. I magically and instantaneously received a Fruit Tree Obsession. The next year I ordered a peach, a nectarine, and a cherry tree and put them in my new greenhouse. I rationalized I should grow fruit because my daughter had many food allergies. This year we got about 50 peaches and an increased severity of said obsession. Greenhouse space being too limiting, I built a moose fence and moved my interest outdoors with about 45 trees (apples, plums, sweet and sour cherries)-even though my daughter is now completely healed of her allergies. For 2017 I am hoping to fence in half an acre or so and continue this reckless pursuit. The fence gets costly because of its height requirement, as moose are voracious tree eaters and talented jumpers. Iām really hoping to get peach trees to produce outdoors for me.
I live in the warm end of zone 5. The region is attractive for fruit potential because most of the bugs and diseases arenāt widely imported yet. Birds, yellow jackets, moose, and voles are the main concerns. Growing season is short enough that Redhaven peaches wonāt mature outside. Most summers recently have been warm with many days in the 70-80 degree range, but we have an occasional summer where 60 is the norm.
Iāve been learning a lot from all the discussion on this forum. Thanks everyone.
