I have a Reliance and whole-heartedly recommend it, especially for those who can get late spring frosts. It will still set fruit when all my other stone fruits do not. It’s also got a great flavor!
My Mother always bragged up the Elberta Peach. Saying it was the variety that was on the homestead she grew up on and they always dried the fruit for fried dried peach pies.
@@Naturehills Yeah they are good stuff. Mom would make them on occasion of getting some peaches. Cooked them in an iron skillet. Them and apples too. They had a variety of apples that looked like the Lodi variety of apples, but she didn't know the name of them. I grow the Indian Blood peaches here.
I live in Vacaville Ca. I want a peach tree, THE BEST TASTING SELF POLINATING variety I can get!! Suggestions?? surrounded by orange and Meyer lemon trees.
Hi there, this is a great question! I asked our head horticulturist and this is what they said: Peach flavor can change depending on the climate they're grown in, the moisture they receive, etc. Some are better suited to colder zones and others to warmer zones. Before suggesting just one, it would help to know the region you want to grow it in as that will determine exactly which one is best and sweetest. However, Elberta and O'Henry are a couple varieties that are popular and grow well over a wide range of climates. I hope this helps! -Whit
@@khaled.almraba For zone 9 we'd definitely recommend Babcock Peach Tree. And if you're hoping to get every last ounce of sweetness out of your tree, we suggest watering as usual until the fruit develops and attains size, then cutting back slightly for the remainder of the season. If you'd like to learn more about Babcock, you can read all about it here: www.naturehills.com/babcock-peach-tree -Whit
Great feature! I've been looking for a peach tree that grows in Zone 3. I've heard of Reliance but even that, I've heard, can be iffy in Zone 3b. Do you think it's worth the shot? (if I can find it here in Alberta/BC/Saskatchewan). Otherwise, are there any other variants you can recommend?
Hey there fellow peach lover:) We did some digging and aren't confident enough in its hardiness to officially recommend Reliance for you in zone 3b. Finding peaches for that zone will be tough. If you're looking for fruits to add to your garden, I suggest reaching out to a local extension office as they'll have the best knowledge on what works for your region and climate. Good luck on your edible garden journey! -Whit
@@Naturehills Thank you. We went ahead with a "Crimson Passion" Sour Cherry and "Casino" Apricot this year. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the Apricot. Thank you!
@@ourcozygarden if you find a stone fruit tree that survives the winter up there then graft some peach branches onto it next spring as the rootstock is what really matters for cold hardiness
@@elky82 That's really good to know. We do have plums and sour cherries here. So far, I've successfully grafted an apple unto a pear tree. I will see if I can find one from a warmer zone here in Canada. Thanks for the advice.
People try to grow Reliance Peach in Ottawa (Zone 5) occasionally and it is touch and go. It can flower and fruit here after milder winters but then a wicked winter can wipe it out. I lost mine years ago, but my cousin planted one a couple of blocks away. It produced fruit 2 years ago, but last year, it was rough. The tree was somewhat damaged and did not flower. I expect the cutoff for Reliance is around -29C for flowering, so don't expect success on the Canadian prairies where it can get routinely colder. I have done a lot of research and Veteran peach is considered a touch hardier. I hope to source one for spring planting. Don't be too disappointed that peaches may be beyond possibility, because apricots may be easier for you to grow than here in Ontario. Apricots like lower humidity (a drier climate) and there are selections that can easily take -40C. I saw an Apricot laden with fruit in Calgary many years ago. Amazing! So, hunt down one or two of those prairie hardy selections of apricots. I see them listed in some prairie nurseries, Westcot, Debbie's Gold, others. I had a Morden selection for years, but it was plagued with disease, probably due to our humid summers. I cut it down. I am now trying Puget Gold, which is supposed to be more disease resistant and adaptable to more humidity, but it is not prairie hardy, maybe Zone 4b. We will see.
Elberta are self pollinating, but if you have 2 then you'll have a larger harvest. I know fully mature cherry trees usually give you 20 lbs of cherries a year I would assume peach trees with pollinators do the same.
Yes you can. I'm in zone 7b/8a peaches grow very well here. I have two young trees that I planted last year and they took off. I did some research and found out that my area is one of the best zones for growing them.
@@N0bull Some varieties they claim will grow in zone 10. All you have to do is find out how many chill hours you get in your area then match the chill hours as close as possible to the number of chill hours required for the peachtree variety that you want to grow and try to match the zone for the plant as much as possible to. But the chill hours that's really what's going to make or break it. Best thing to do is find a local nursery or one online and give them a call and ask them about a particular variety that you want to grow and see what they say. Don't ask the person at Lowe's, Home Depot or Walmart they may or may not know what they're talking about. A nursery will know what they are talking about if they say that it will grow in your area. You can also call your county extension or email them and ask them questions as well that's what they are there for. They offer a wealth of information. Good luck.
@@N0bull Yeah the chill hours don't have to be exact but you want to try and match it as much as possible. Some if not all fruit trees have some adaptability. The problem you have with peach trees is late frost. If it warms up too quick and then freezes again it could cause alot of damage to your peach tree.
