Citrus and Peach trees

patience · Expert Joined: Jan 04, 2008 Posts: 1523

In 12 years with a dozen mature peach trees to start with, we managed to harvest 2 peaches. Here in south Indiana, we seem to always get a late frost that kills the blooms. Bummer! When we sold that farm, I vowed to never try that again. Great strawberry country, though!

mercurygirl · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Jan 29, 2006 Posts: 1192

Help again!!

Now I have aphids on the trees, like thousands, ants are still around. Maybe my moat went dry, I didn't look very close, but I thought there was still a bit in it.

Anyway, they weren't there until recently. Do the ants bring them to the trees? And aren't the ants in the soil multiplying now? Unless I kill every insect won't they just come back?

What should I do? Please forgive my ignorance.

I'm so pissed!!!!!

patience · Expert Joined: Jan 04, 2008 Posts: 1523

Spray 'em with soapy water and an infusion of cayenne pepper. Works for me to get rid of all sorts of bugs.

patience · Expert Joined: Jan 04, 2008 Posts: 1523

Be VERY VERY careful not to get that stuff in your eyes!!!!! It's REALLY bad news!

PeakOiler · Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:02 am Post subject: Re: Citrus and Peach trees

PeakOiler · Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:10 am Post subject: Re: Citrus and Peach trees

Peach blossoms survive a freeze:

The citrus are hanging in there:

The pink blossoms are on one of the Meyers lemon trees. I'm glad I haven't dismantled the hoophouse yet. There is possibly one more freeze this next week...
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frankthetank · Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:06 pm Post subject: Re: Citrus and Peach trees

PO'er

Got to love that TX weather. 80F one day and snow the next! Everything still asleep up here in glacier country. Have lost a lot of snowpack but the temps will be going below 0F once again later this week, before another "warm up" into the 40's. This could be it, however. I really think the turn towards spring begins soon.
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frankthetank · Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:34 pm Post subject: Re: Citrus and Peach trees

PO'er-

Not sure if you've seen this, but have a look. Not sure what kind of temps you'll be experiencing.

http://web1.msue.msu.edu/vanburen/crittemp.htm
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"Oil is going up because we use too much oil, and the capacity to replace reserves is dwindling"
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PeakOiler · Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 4:08 pm Post subject: Re: Citrus and Peach trees

PeakOiler · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 6:52 am Post subject: Re: Citrus and Peach trees

The remaining peach trees are all blossoming:

Unless the weather goes weird, no more freezing weather is expected this season. You can see some pvc pipe near the bird bath, which I am keeping empty at this time. I don't want to attract birds to the peach trees. I have been laying out the 3/4" pvc irrigation pipe from the rainwater system, but am not quite done yet. Eventually I may bury the pipe.

Meanwhile, the Meyers lemons are blossoming like mad and there are three nearly ripe lemons still on the tree:

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oowolf · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 3:37 pm Post subject: Re: Citrus and Peach trees

Anyone here growing any of the many plum x apricot crosses?

http://www.davewilson.com/z_file/zaiger_varieties.html

PeakOiler · Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:55 am Post subject: Re: Citrus and Peach trees

Lemon harvest update for 2008:

There is just one nearly-ripe lemon left now, but more on the way for Dec. 2008.

The lemon juice is being kept frozen in the solar-powered freezer.

Assuming 20 cal/lemon, (which may be a poor assumption since these are big lemons), that's 620 calories or about 0.05% of my annual caloric requirements.
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PeakOiler · Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 3:51 pm Post subject: Re: Citrus and Peach trees

Today I bought another satsuma (the little one in the black pot in the foreground):

The satsuma mandarines I bought last year are starting to blossom:

I also bought a "Methley Plum" tree.
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PeakOiler · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 6:31 pm Post subject: Re: Citrus and Peach trees

Above I wrote "the peach blossoms survive a freeze." Well, they didn't.
Good thing that only 5 of 13 had blossomed. The late bloomers seem to be okay.
Curious. 12 of the 13 peach trees are supposed to be of the same variety, yet started blossoming ranging over weeks. I'm guessing specific soil conditions or location can influence when the tree blossoms.

That's one baby peach!

Most of the peach trees are still blossoming, so there's hope for more...
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Ludi · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:06 pm Post subject: Re: Citrus and Peach trees

Only one of my peaches is blooming yet. My oldest tree (Reliance) has a ton of buds, but no blossoms yet.
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