Hello everyone,
Two years ago, I had limited knowledge on fruit tree chilling hours before I bought my first fruit tree surecrop nectarine at the local Lowe’s garden center. Now it is found the required chilling hour is above 900 normally on a internet search. I am surprised that Lowe’s could sell such a high chilling hour fruit tree here (zone 8b).
The history record of chilling hour was about 800. The past winter here was very cold (10 F) and the local extension says method 1 ( 32F <chilling hour < 45F) hour is 829 while method 2 (chilling hour < 45F) is 1122 hours. This surecrop nectarine tree grows so well this year that its height is about 11 feet and its trunk has about 1.5 inch in diameter, but it had no flower in the spring. Interestingly, it had a few flowers last year although it was very small and thin then.
Do you have such a nectarine tree in zone 8b? Will it fruit or not?
Don’t rely on zones to be a end all and be all. Zones are just a starting point. Also don’t expect nurseries to have what is best for your area. Most nurseries are not guaranteeing their trees anymore. Only nursery I have seen that does that is big box stores and Stark Bros. Most nurseries I have bought from will state in their warranty we guarantee your trees will come out of dormancy by x date and claims must be made by y date. They typically state they do no guarantee a given plant will produce because they cannot control those factors. By only guaranteeing that it will come out of dormancy by x date (they typically exclude any plants up past the zone you live in too) they can sell you the tree even if it does not fit in your zone. Even Lowes with a one year warranty only says that it will live. It says nothing about it producing as it may live on but not produce.