Subject: Re: Do I need to thin the fruit on my peach tree?

From: [email-masked] (Pete Akerson)
Date: 24 Apr 1996 20:42:39 GMT

Ken ([email-masked]) wrote:
: When or should I thin the fruit?  
: Should I let the fruit fall by itself?
: Right now the fruit are the size of peanut M&M's.

Thin when they are golf ball sized. Alternate fruit
on either side of the branches, leave 1 every eight inches or so.
Thin anything interfering and anything with cat-facing first.
-- 
Hydramethylnon[tetrahydra-5,5-dimethyl-2(1H)-pyrimidinone(3-[4-(trfluoromethyl)
phenyl] 1-(2-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]ethenyl)-2-propenylidene)hydrazone].

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From: [email-masked] (Bytz for Bratz)
Date: 24 Apr 1996 23:31:50 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] 
says...
>
>Last year (1st year bearing fruit)  my peach tree only had 4 peaches
>so there was no need to thin the fruit.  However this year it looks
>like I'm going to have a lot more fruit.
>
>When or should I thin the fruit?  

Blossom thinning is the best way generally (assuming you normally have a good 
set). At blossom time, thin the blossoms out about 6-10". Otherwise, thin the 
fruit before it is 1" diameter at about 6-12" spacing depending on vigor, 
desired quality, etc.

>Should I let the fruit fall by itself?
No.
>Right now the fruit are the size of peanut M&M's.
>
>Thanks,
>Ken
>

Lance

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From: [email-masked] (Steven Cahn)
Date: 25 Apr 1996 00:13:28 GMT

If the fear of frost is over thin now,  My rule of thumb is I try not to 
have another peach within on hands length.  On really small trees I just 
decide that 8 or 10 or whatever is enough and pull off the rest.
-
  STEVEN CAHN  [email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Ken)
Date: Sun, 05 May 1996 02:24:05 GMT

On Mon, 29 Apr 1996 03:57:59 GMT, [email-masked] (Ingrid K.
Buxton) wrote:
>.. you must be further south than Wisconsin.. do you get a period of
>"fruitfall" where you are?

I'm in the S.F. Bay Area.  Last year (1st bearing year) I did no
thinning.  The small fruit fell of the tree, I guess, because of late
spring rains or winds.

[snip]

>start slathering on the "tanglefoot" to keep the borers out
>of the trunk.. look for any sign of tree resin, especially in crotches
>where limbs meet trunk ..... 

I think I probably already have a problem.  I have some sticky stuff
that actually looks like tangefoot on a few of the branches.  How do I
remove or kill the borers?

Thanks,
Ken

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From: John Lobingier <[email-masked]>
Date: 5 May 1996 08:17:27 GMT

Take a paper clip open it up or get some thin wire and push it into the 
hole that is "somewhere"  :)  under that sap.  Hopefully you will 
reach/hit and kill the borer by doing this.
You could get a syringe and inject something in the burrow to kill it 
also.

One last thing to remember that I heard that is very interesting.... 
It makes me wonder how the borers survive.

How true this is I don't know, but it does make sense.  I would like to 
hear what other people think of this.

Supposedly when the borer damages the tree by burrowing into it, the sap 
which is natures bandage from a wound flows around the bore thus 
suffocating and killing it.  Anyone have a comment on this?

John

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From: [email-masked] (Ken)
Date: Wed, 08 May 1996 17:36:19 GMT

>suffocating and killing it.  Anyone have a comment on this?

Do they also burrow into the peaches?

I'm seeing transparent "snail droppings" (that's what they kind of
look like) on some of my peaches.  I assume something is poking a hole
in the peach and the "guts" of the peach is  leaking out.

Should I remove the "damaged" fruit and how can I prevent these bug
attacks?

Thanks,
Ken

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From: [email-masked] (Jonathan Bishop)
Date: Thu, 09 May 1996 00:09:29 GMT

>Ken

There are several insect pests(curculio, plant bug, etc...NOT Peach
Tree Borer which attacks only the tree) which can attack the
developing peach any time after the shuck splits and falls. This
damage is likely to be most severe if your trees are located near a
woodline or brushy border. The only way I know to prevent this injury
is to apply an approved insecticide at shuck split/fall and maintain
coverage until the Days Till Harvest cutoff (follow directions on the
material's label). You will also need to maintain a fungicide cover to
prevent Brown Rot.

For injury which has already occurred, if you haven't thinned yet you
can remove the damaged fruit to make room for the development of the
good ones. Peaches should be thinned to allow 6-8" between fruits.

Good Luck, 

Jonathan 
¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿

Jonathan Bishop                       Bishop's Orchards
B.W. Bishop & Sons, Inc.              Growers of Fine Fruit
Guilford, Connecticut                 since 1871
E-Mail:[email-masked]

??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

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From: John Lobingier <[email-masked]>
Date: 10 May 1996 06:57:48 GMT

Most likely a "curcullio" has caused this.  I have had this done before to 
my peaches,but they always grew into perfectly edible fruit.

John