I am looking for a variety of Peach tree suitable for our rainly West coast. I have a redhaven against the south of my house and still have problems with leaf curl. I heard somewhere there is a type called "winter peach". Any one heard of this and if so any comments? Thanks
In addition to reflected heat enhancing results the main reason for training a peach tree against a warm wall in cool damp climates is so an awning can be pulled over it to protect it from being infected during vulnerable times. If yours has not been trained flat against the wall and has grown out from under its covering or is not protected by a cover (awning or eave) it will presumably be as prone to infection as if it was out in the open.
I recently put this same question to a Master Gardener here, who had happened to attend a seminar on the same topic. A government scientist had recommended only the three following: Frost Early Redhaven Harken Myself I have a Renton peach, with which I have had some success. Right now I am looking for a Harken whip but without luck yet.
I would love to get my hands on a Renton Peach, they were developed at Essondale\ Riverview Hospital in the 1920's, by John "Jack" Renton, and appear to be very difficult to find even though they are still a recommended variety after all these years. A little history about John Renton here. If anybody knows where I can get some, please send me a message. Cheers
Any updates on cultivars available in BC that are leaf curl resistant? All the nurseries seems to only have "Frost". "Indian Free" is apparently an excellent leaf curl resistant cultivar and "Avalon Pride" but I can't find them anywhere. Are there any nurseries here that have more than just "Frost"?
I have a dwarf Empress in it's second year. I found this at Garden Works Mandeville last year. Can't comment on how well it will do because it's only the second year but so far looks ok. I have it in a pot on a south wall under the roof eave so rain on the leaves is not common.
Check out Cedar Rim Nursery in Langley, Red Heaven and Frost are among the ones they have listed http://www.cedarrim.com/store/guides/fruit-peaches/
I am interested in this topic - I don't know anyone who has success with soft-fruit peach/apricot/nectarine at the coast EXCEPTION - I know at the coast - the old-fashioned "italian" prune plums - & some yellow and green plums - and of course, vintage apples (do they still have that event out at UBC about old DNA apples?) can do well and on some coast properties are almost wild. Raspberries do way better at coast than okanagan, that's for sure! in the Okanagan - we like Vees. (so if you like old ice hockey history, you will know why the Penticton Vee's were named so) - there are several "V" peaches in the series I think - but I'd have to look it up to find out more.
So after contacting A LOT of nurseries in BC, it doesn't seem like they are aware of many other leaf curl resistant cultivars. "Frost" and "Haven" are all that is stocked for resistant types and they can't or aren't willing to bring in others. Here are others I have come across in my research that have excellent or at least show some resistance: "Indian Free" - excellent "Charlotte" - excellent "Avalon Pride" - excellent "Harrow Diamond" - good "Salish Summer" - good "Oregon Curl Free" - good "John Muir" - good "Q-1-8" - moderate "New Haven" - moderate If anyone comes across any of these in BC please post here! Otherwise, looks like I'm taking a drive down the coast. Sad that the nurseries here are so limited.
Keep in mind that you CAN NOT bring fruit trees across the border; border services will not permit them into Canada. You are not even supposed to transport fruit trees from other provinces into BC without a permit (this is to protect BC's own fruit crops).
Pretty much every nursery in BC brings their stock in from Washington so it is possible. The more diversity of species we have the more protection there is. A single cultivar is easily wiped out by disease. If you have dozens or better yet hundreds, there will always be survivers. We then build of those that survive. Disease is inevitable and trying to close off borders and isolate will only work for so long. We need genetic diversity and better breeding.
do you ever travel to the Okanagan? Bylands in West Kelowna (Westbank) is the place to go for fruit trees for non-commercial (ie one of this, one of that) http://www.bylands.com/our-products
They bring them in with the proper paperwork and certificates. Most individuals will not go to the expense and hassle of getting this paperwork in order. And without that paperwork the tree will be confiscated at the border. As per the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's AIRS (automated import reference system) for Peach Tree: Import Details for Requirement : 42398 Version : 3 HS Description : 060220 06Live trees and other plants; bulbs, roots and the like; cut flowers and ornamental foliage 02Other live plants (including their roots), cuttings and slips; mushroom spawn. 20Trees, shrubs and bushes, grafted or not, of kinds which bear edible fruit or nuts OGD Extension : 001714 0017Rooted plants (include greenhouse grown) - fruit (nursery stock) 14Peach - rooted plants (Prunus persica) Origin : UWA US United States UWA Washington Destination : BC BCBritish Columbia End Use : 05 05Propagation (growing or sowing) Miscellaneous : 034 034Without soil, related matter or growing media (bare root) Refer to CFIA-NISC(must be accompanied by the following documents\registrations): •Phytosanitary Certificate •Plant Protection Import Permit FYI, most US nurseries/garden centers will not provide a Phyto-certificate - "too much work and expense" - to individuals.......and you wonder why there is a lack of variety and why they are so expensive here.......
I do but they have different diseases than us on the west coast and I find they generally don't carry coastal disease resistant varieties unfortunately. I see Bylands does have "Harrow Diamond" though so that might be worth trying.
I am aware that a phytosanitary certificate is needed and I will look into nurseries that will provide that. It would be nice if more local nurseries would ACTUALLY BE NURSERIES and grow plants rather than import Washington stock and re-sell at jacked up prices. All I need is a starting stock then I will be developing my own cultivars.
Phyto-certificates are obtained from the nursery selling the plant (and from personal experience I have found very few US suppliers willing to provide one), however the Plant Protection Import Permit must be obtained PRIOR to the plants being brought into Canada and must be done through the Canada Food Inspection Agency. This means you have to find a US supplier willing to provide the phyto-certificate AND THEN go through the CFIA to get your import permit before actually buying your trees because you have to list the supplier's information on the application form. And remember, the CFIA can refuse or revoke your permit at any time. http://www.inspection.gc.ca/DAM/DAM-plants-vegetaux/STAGING/text-texte/c5256_1331652913719_eng.pdf .....they don't make is easy........
Governments don't make anything easy or make sense most of the time. I am determined though. I'll find a nursery and go through the process.
Any luck finding any of those peach varieties you listed in Canada? I did notice that some gardeners and nurseries in the US are listing Nanaimo Peach (from Canada) as a variety that also has resistance. I've never been able to locate this variety either despite it's origins in Canada. What is going on, when we can't even get varieties developed here but they are available south of the border?
Hi ManyFruits, No I haven't. It's ridiculous isn't it? Yes I came across Nanaimo at few US nurseries too, a cultivar clearly developed in Nanaimo about an hour from where I live. How is this cultivar not available locally!?? Drives me crazy. It's the CFIA rules that don't allow imports of fruits that are commercially produced here. It is nonsense. Diversity is the key to fighting disease, not isolation.
Interesting discussions to my scenario in Nanoose. I planted a Reliance peach last July against a brick chimney in full sun under a roof overhang. I made a special biochar soil for it and it grew over five feet last summer. I bought it even though it is apparently very susceptible to Peach Leaf Curl because I believe I have it under control in our gardens. I have just hand-pollinated some of the 100 or more flowers that have opened up. I didn't think plants could flower on one-year wood but I guess I was wrong. We also grow a Persian Nectarine in a big pot that was grafted as a Standard when we bought it eight years ago. Normally we get 40 - 50 beautiful fruits from it. Last year was a poor year due to intense freezing but this year, since we missed freezing winter temperatures, the girl has over 100 flowers. The Mason Bees are not out yet so I hand-pollinate that tree too. I apply a three-pronged approach to Peach Leaf Curl. I dabble with microbes and bacteria as well as culturing fungal sprays from powerful fungi like Trichoderma. On a random basis, but particularly at this time of year during bud break, I do a branch/bud/leaf spray of Trichoderma water followed the next day by a dousing with Lactic Acid Bacteria serum (LABS) and then the next day with a mix of wood vinegar (Pyroligneous Acid). Repeat. This same treatment was applied as a soil drench on an eight-year old Hall's Hardy Almond that had severe canker and actually died last year. Started in August the tree started to swell buds on the trunk of the tree. By the end of October it had branches that were six feet long and this year those one year whips have hundreds of flowers that have already opened. From my experiments it would appear that fighting pathogenic fungus species with more robust 'bully' fungus that I culture may be an answer to many of the fungal disease issues found here in the PNW where humidity is always in the 90% or higher range. In our gardens canker affects apples, pears, plums, cherry, mulberry, figs and even hazelnuts to varying degrees. In the cool June season we get rust and Allium White Rot as well. This spray regime I apply appears to be changing the fungal world in our soils from pathogenic to beneficial and is most incredible to observe and document. I was particularly amazed to see how much Trich is used in the horticultural world. There are even places one can buy Trich pellets! Trichoderma: A bio-control agent for management soil born diseases | agropedia
If the hybrid almond sprouted new growth and grew 6 ft. then either it didn't in fact die or you are growing rootstock sprouts. Because dead plants do not of course come back to life.
I agree, Ron. It had zero growth last year and showed no signs of life except for the plethora of sprouts from the St Julian rootstock. But it was a goner that turned around. There was no growth on any branches as they were all dead. Tiny buds started swelling on the actual smooth trunk of the tree. I'm writing an article on the saga of this tree. Allow me to provide better info in the following... "Three years ago the healthy tree picked up an oozing canker wound at the base. The thick bark just turned to mush and rotted away. Then two years ago the tree lost a lot of living branches and was diminished in size. It didn't flower in March like it did in the past. I tried cutting the bark back and also tried something called Biodynamic tree paste to no avail. The almond was completely dead last year without any flowers or leaves or visible growth. I was going to cut it down except for the fact a productive female Fuzzy Kiwi was climbing up into the dead branches so I left it as a vertical trellis for the kiwi. Last August I discovered a product made by BC BioCarbon called wood vinegar. Under the tutelage of a regenerative farmer in Australia I started off a weekly soil drench and a bark spray alternating between the Wood Vinegar and a solution made by culturing Trichoderma. There were no leaves to do a foliar spray."