Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Prune your peaches and nectarines to an open, vaselike habit so sunlight can reach each branch.
Peaches use a lot of nitrogen, so a good dose of rich compost and mature chicken manure each
year after the leaves fall will be welcome. Because most peaches and nectarines are small trees not
growing larger than 15 feet naturally, they make a great tree choice for near a house or in a small
landscape.
Even in the best of conditions, peaches are generally shorter lived than other types of fruit trees.
Ten years is a good run for a peach tree; 20 years is fabulous. But don't let that stop you! They are
small trees, not foundation shade trees, so easily replaced if needed.
Peach cultivars to try:
Avalon Pride
is a relatively new, very flavorful peach with resistance to
peach leaf curl.
Contender
has a high chill requirement and is hardy to zone 4, making it awesome
for northern climates as it has a later bloom time that won't get zapped by late frosts.
Harbelle
is a
small tree with productive habit that bears lots of fruit and is resistant to bacterial leaf spot.
New
Haven
is similar to
Red Haven
but has a much higher disease resistance and fabulous productivity.
Rio Grande
has a low-chill requirement with delicious freestone peaches and unusually beautiful
flowers.
Nectarine cultivars to try:
Fantasia
is a large freestone nectarine with a gorgeous reddish skin and
sweet yellow flesh that is said to be one of the tastiest nectarines.
Hardired
was bred in Canada and
has excellent cold-hardiness and large blossoms in the spring.
Panamint
is a low-chill variety with a
full tangy and sweet flavor.
Pears (
Pyrus sp.
)
Pears are easier to grow with organic care than apples if you choose a fireblight-resistant cultivar.
Fireblight is a disease caused by bacteria that affects pears, apples, and roses. Pears are excellent as
a dessert fruit and for eating fresh off the tree. I also love making pear sauce when the pears are
ripe to enjoy warm over pancakes, oatmeal, or ice cream for months thereafter. Consider adding a
large, accent shade tree to your landscape, or plant several of the smaller dwarf pear trees as a wall,
driveway edge, or espaliered along a fence.
I've never entirely grasped the reason for planting ornamental pears, which do nothing but bloom,
when you can plant a pear tree that bears actual fruit. Most pears need cross-pollination, though,
so if you plant one, you should plant at least one more suitable pollination partner to ensure a good
fruit crop. Pears are generally hardy in zones 5 through 9, but an increasing number of cultivars are
now hardy through zone 3.
If you have an area with less than perfect drainage that holds rainwater a day or two, that might be
a better place to site your pears instead of another fruit because pears can tolerate slightly wet feet.
Standard pears produce more fruit but grow much larger, while dwarf pears reach less than 20 feet
and begin bearing fruit sooner.
