Garden Column for the Salisbury Post
Darrell Blackwelder
July 24, 2003

    There may be no greater tasting fruit in the world than a tree ripened peach. Its supreme taste and culinary versatility make over indulgence of this fruit a common occurrence.
This is a good year for area peach growers. Often, peach crops in the Piedmont are variable with few or no appreciable crop. A relatively cold winter followed by a mild spring this season provided perfect growing conditions for peach production.
    Peaches and other stone fruits need many hours of chilling (temperatures below 40 degrees) to initiate fruit. Mild winters often delay or limit fruit set.
    Late freezes or frost can eliminate a bumper crop in a matter of minutes on a cold spring night. Frost protection of tree fruits with water is an impractical option.
    A good year for peaches doesn't necessarily mean they are easy to grow. In fact, peaches are one of the most difficult fruits to produce. Peaches have multitudes of diseases and insects that seem to enjoy them as much as humans. The incredible amount of rain has mixed blessings-ample water for large fruit and the perfect condition for fungus and bacterial diseases. Peach trees must be continuously sprayed from flowering until a few days before harvest to keep them pest free and prevent them from rotting. Peach brown rot, the most common disease, is rampant during hot, humid conditions experienced this summer. Home orchardists complain most about this problem. Brown rot causes the fruit to rot just before harvest. The cost of maintaining this type of schedule is enormous. Commercial producers not only have spray costs, but picking, pruning and labor make this an expensive crop.
    Growers have abundant crops and are at the peak of harvest. The length of the season is determined by staggering different varieties. Different varieties mature at different times during the season. Commercial producers often plant peach varieties that have varieties mature from June until September.
    Mature peaches from the grower may seem a little hard. To soften peaches, place the fruit in a paper bag, fold the top over loosely and keep it at room temperature for 1-3 days. Check the fruit daily. Never use a plastic bag because it may cause decay and can produce off-flavors.
    Once fruit is soft, or ripe, it can be stored in the refrigerator for a week or more. Never place firm, or unripe, fruit in the refrigerator as it may inhibit the ripening process and can cause the fruit to become dry, mealy and flavorless.

Commercial peach orchards in Rowan County.

Jerry and Ed Whitaker Peach Orchard
Location: 1225 Earnhardt Road, off Stokes Ferry Road, 3 miles from center of Salisbury.
Hours: 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Monday-Saturday
Open Sunday afternoon.
Phone number: 704-636-0313
Price: $6.00-9.00 a peck depending on quality of peach
Comments: Peaches are ready now. "Georgia Belle" (white peach) will be ready in 10 days. Other varieties include Elberta, Winblo and Shipper's Red. Will have peaches until the last of August.

Huffman Produce Farm
Location: 4825 Goodman Lake road, 2 miles off Bringle Ferry Road. Approximately 6 miles from center of Salisbury.
Hours: 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. Monday-Saturday
Sunday 1:00-6:00 p.m.
Phone number: 704-637-6762
Price: $3.00-10.00 a peck depending on quality of peach
Comments: Peaches are ready now featuring "Winblo", "Contender" and "Carolina Belle" (white peach). "Georgia Belle" (white peach) will ripen in August. Huffman's also features fresh vegetables and homemade peach ice cream. Peaches will be available until the second week of September.

Darrell Blackwelder is an agricultural agent in charge of horticulture with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in Rowan County. For archived garden columns or other information, visit the Rowan County Master Gardener web site at www.rowanmastergardener.com , e-mail Darrell_Blackwelder@ncsu.edu or phone at 704-633-0571.