Article from Colorado State University.
TLDR; California bred low chill, showy flower peach varieties can be as hardy as Michigan bred varieties.
The way I read that article is that the loss in hardiness as bloom progresses is all about increase in water content of the tissues. Water content increases from about 45 percent in dormancy to 80 percent at full bloom causing the developing fruit to become less hardy.
When they are full bloom how long does it take to be able to set the fruit?
Full bloom to shuck split is about 10-14 days. Other than that, I’m not sure just what you’re asking.
Could be that the showy flowers by their physical size has more moisture than non-showy flowers. I haven’t seen Crest Haven or Elberta flowers. I have 6 peaches/nectarines blooming right now, of which I noticed Landt peach has different flowers which are less than half the size of other varieties, with Pacific Pride nectarine has the largest flower.
Landt
Pacific Pride Nectarine
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So if I water my blooming peach trees before a freeze, they are less hardy? Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around? One waters the plants a couple of days before a hard freeze to decrease freeze sensitivity? Or maybe that is just that hydrated plants recover better?
I think the idea of watering before a freeze has to do mostly with non plant issues. Wet soil stores and radiates more heat than dry soil. Soil heat can protect the plant a bit on a cold night.
Soil water won’t affect plant tissue water. At least not much at early stages of growth.
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