| My peach tree is four years old and had flowers, but no fruit. I suppose it didn't get pollinated. It's an Elberta, which is supposed to be self-fruitful. What can I do? |
| Your tree is mature enough to produce, and it doesn't need a pollinator, so the problem probably lies in the lack of insect activity during the blooming period. When weather is cold, honeybees are reluctant to fly, and that sometimes spells disaster for fruit tree crops. There's a nifty insect called the Orchard Mason Bee that flies in cool weather and is great in fruit tree orchards. You can help attract them to your garden by providing homemade nests for them. Just take an 8 or 10 inch piece of 4x4 wood (untreated!) and drill rows of holes for the females to lay their eggs in. Make the holes about 3/8 of an inch in diameter and about 3 inches deep. As long as you have flowers blooming in the early spring, the Mason Bees will visit your garden. If you've hung a nest near the trees, in a protected area that gets morning sun, the females will lay their eggs in the cells. Better luck with next year's peach crop! |
