| I cannot get a desent harvest, my peach tree will produce no more then 20 peaches in summer, my tree is about 7 years old. Why so poor production? |
| Most peach varieties are self-fruitful although there are some self-unfruitful varieties such as JH Hale, Halberta, Candoka, Mikado, and Alamar. If you're growing one of these, you'll get a heavier crop if you have a second variety of peach tree in your yard. The major limiting factors in growing peaches in Illinois and many parts of upper midwest are bud injury by cold winter temperatures below -10 degrees Farenheit, and wood injury by winter temperatures that are -18 to -20 degrees Farenheit. Select a site with good soil and air drainage, and feed each spring with a fruit tree fertilizer such as 10-10-10 to maintain good tree health. Aside from hoping for a warm winter and planting a second variety, there's not much else you can do to encourage more fruit. Best wishes with your peach tree. |
