Is there an extensive list somewhere of when the different peach varieties bloom? The only place with good soil on my property is unfortunately in a frost pocket so I need later blooming peaches.
What are your favorite peach varieties with excellent bacterial spot resistance that bloom later in the Spring?
Thanks,
Frank
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One resource is Bloom Dates | Western Washington Tree Fruit & Alternative Fruits | Washington State University
They have several years worth of bloom date data from their plantings, including other varieties of fruit besides peaches.
Although harvest does not equal bloom, this Dave Wilson chart is good too…
Actually for peach cultivars, harvest date and bloom time don’t have any relation whatever. There is a strong correlation between bloom time and chill hour requirement. Higher chill requirement = later bloom.
I don’t have too much to add to varietal selections, other than what I’ve posted on my peach evaluations. Good production consistent production (even in marginal winters), good flavor, and low bac. spot are probably my top criteria for a peach. Although I also consider it a pretty big drawback if a variety drops fruit badly. So the attributes I am looking for in peach varieties are probably pretty similar to wfwaltons.
One thing to consider when looking for a consistent producing peach is that it’s not just about bloom time. Some peaches have a longer bloom period, which helps a lot if there is a frost. For example, Redskin starts blooming very early but blooms over a long period of time. This generally helps produce a decent crop most years. This year it didn’t help because the freeze was so late that all the peaches were past bloom.
Also, some blooms are more frost hardy than others.
Lastly, the amount of blooms has an impact on the production. A tree with a heavier bloom tends to help deliver more consistent crops.
As an aside, if I had a choice to put peaches in poor soil but good air drainage, vs peaches in good soil but in a frost pocket, I would choose the former. Peaches don’t need really great soil to perform well. As long as the soil drainage is good (which can be accomplished with raised plantings) peaches will generally do fine, even in poor soils, with a bit of supplemental fertilizer.
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Lars Anderson Peach by far is the latest blooming peach in my orchard. Easily 2 weeks later than my other peaches and I have about 30 varities (previously close to 60 but sold my house). The peach has not produced for me (should this year). The tree is still young so I don’t know if it will keep blooming late as it matures. Most of my cultivars are 500 to 1100 chill varities.
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I had heard that the Lars Anderson peach was also a very good tasting peach as well. An added plus that it blooms later than all the other peaches. If it produces peaches please keep us informed as how it tastes. There was only one place I knew that had that peach available to buy a tree from.
Is Lars Anderson resistant to bacterial lesf spot?
The Muir Peach is late-blooming, and also is supposed to have good resistance to peach leaf curl. Ranger and Frost are late blooming peach trees. Salish Summer (formerly known as Q-1-8) blooms very late.
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I will check that one out as well. TY for the suggestion.
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This chart is for western washington state, which is usda zone 8. I am in zone 7a.