My spray program in the Guides category now suggests using “new formula” Sevin. Availability of products for home use are always in flux- more so than for commercial formulations, I think. Triazide was always a bit hit and miss.
Incidentally, I grow a limited amount of O’Henry here just because it is an excellent Sept. peach, but it seems to be tender and a bit of a shy bearer- that is, they sometimes die prematurely and bear relatively light crops. However, it’s an old fashioned peach with enough fuzz to resist insects better than some and it’s not especially prone to brown rot for such a late peach.
Triazicide is currently available to be bought at nearly all box stores and hardwares and still does the exact same thing it did 12 years ago. And the worms are still safe to eat as far as i know unless something has changed in the last 12 years.
Alan started a topic on it in 2016 and Olpea added a bunch of other insecticides that he likes.
Again i replied to the topic of no spray and my neighbors peaches that only seem to have an issue with worms… the ‘spray’ that was recommended was listed… however the fact remains that he said the worms were safe to eat. So no spray is ‘needed’ for my neighbors tree with the current 12 year information.
If worms are no longer safe to eat then that changes the dynamic.
For most of us, it isn’t a question of safety. When you are raised on pristine fruit, often without a single insect scar you tend to find eating worms repellent, I think. I know I do. I don’t like the idea of eating slugs either, although with butter and garlic snails are OK, I guess.
You commented that it had less fuzz than others and you praised it… 5 years ago. Maybe things have changed since then as i was made aware of previously.
More info here also noted for being the most red and very little fuzz
Still on topic but this post was from 2 years ago and Jesse states that he grows Contender as well as others no spray in Maine. Which i believe relates to the previous topic of East Coast. He says that he grows them for home consumption as well.
I wouldn’t be surprised if I contradicted myself, I’m speaking from memory about the qualities of the O’Henry peach as I don’t grow it myself anymore, but I’m managing it in a few sites. However, having less fuzz than Encore doesn’t come close to suggesting it is nearly fuzzless. It would have been more polite to paste my actual sentence on the subject. I always feel like I’m in court when I discuss fruit with you. Lawyers twist the truth, I swear, I’m trying to find it.
In a search of descriptions and history I find no mention of it being smooth skinned, except the one you supplied- and I searched every source I could find. Photos showed ample fuzz, but I don’t trust such photos.
Next time I have a chance I will check it out- I tend to assume all old-fashioned peaches are fuzzy
This is my quote, “Less fuzz, prettier, deeper orange flesh and higher brix than Encore.”
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Back in the day… when i had peaches… my early elberta peach ripened mid June… and was a decent peach…
My other tree was labeled reliance and ripened later around July 10.
Even after OFM and BR got bad here… i got a few good no spray peaches off my early elberta.
It seems to me that your best bet for no spray peaches is to have varieties that ripen early.
If i were to try them again (doubt it)… but if I do… i would try something like rich may / flavorrich.
I hear they are a decent peach for being so early… and they might ripen closer to June 1 for me.
BR started showing up here late June. Rich may should be picked and eaten by then.
I think we have pressure, I’m finally removing my tin foil, the peaches are getting redder, but the rats are out there, this is why it’s harder to leave them alone.
That is a great point. Or possibly to have a very late one like O’Henry or better late one that bypasses the ‘early’ issues. Or possibly have both?
So far the words lucky, and gambling have been used and you added the word bet. I think someone said it was like playing the lottery as well. (why not a crap shoot)?
I guess if i had to put a label on everything i grow it would be Iffy.
Iffy Orchard and Berry Farm
Them - “You gonna have peaches this year”?
Me- “Iffy. Its a shot in the dark”.
It’s not just cultural. A lot of insects are actually pretty dangerous to eat, slugs being a perfect example.
Slugs can give you, among other things: salmonella, Lyme disease, Weil’s disease, tapeworms, heartworms, liver flukes, flatworms, and, most commonly, the rat lungworm.
I suggest you give blackboy Indian peach a try. It’s a late peach, with a fuzzy, thick and bitter skin till 2 weeks before ripening. My 6 years of experience with this peach tells me that it’s relatively bug and disease resistant. It will rot from core if left on tree for too long. Taste is exotic, like raspberry.
@Shuimitao … my last two years of BR… any peach hanging on the tree in July was done for. Brown fuzzy mummies.
I need a extra fuzzy, thick, bitter skin peach that ripens June 1 and taste decent… I have no faith in late varieties… since my mid season peaches got completely wiped by BR. I dont see how later peaches could make it.
Late season i have figs, persimmons, raspberries… i can do without peaches then.
@TNHunter from reading the forums I remember you grow organically. Have you tried using organic sprays. Like Hydrogen Peroxide based sprays or for microbial Bio-Control agents (Serenade etc.) or home made compost/lactic acid bacteria brew as such.
@Oregon_Fruit_Grow … I have not tried most of that stuff. Many years ago i tried spinosad… and i have tried BT in the past.
I would feel better about all organic approach… but honestly I dont even like spraying water.
Plant it… it grows like a weed, produces good fruit without a lot of fuss. Now that is for me.
Since i got rid of my peaches… i realized I have a natural haven for persimmons. I did not even have to plant them… they just grow here like weeds. No fuss no spray required.
Once i get all the persimmon, mulberry, pears, pawpaw, figs that i want… i may consider a peach again if there is room for one.
Would you mind telling us what state in which you reside? If you have mentioned it, I must have missed it. I see you are zone 6b.
I think that the phrase “no spray fruit”, in this case peaches, means something different for each of us, as is alluded to by the many responses.
I guess when I read “no spray” fruit, what comes to mind is that the fruit hasn’t been sprayed with anything, be it fungicide or insecticide, AND the harvested fruit is clean. Free from worms, bugs, disease. Like what Alan describes of his time in CA… myth or reality? Just kidding Alan. Certainly it sounds like a fruit growing paradise.
In some areas you can grow peaches with no sprays and not have disease issues, so you still get fruit. But if that fruit is scarred up from stink bugs and the flesh is 75% ruined by PC… well, I don’t consider that a win, and it wouldn’t classify as a no spray peach to me.
Just kidding Alan. Certainly it sounds like a fruit growing paradise. 