By Clint Thompson
Georgia’s chill hour accumulation is currently lagging behind last year’s totals, due to a slow start in January. The state is still in good shape, however, according to Jeff Cook, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agriculture and natural resources agent for Peach and Taylor counties.
“We were 80 hours ahead and then after the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference week, we were about 80 behind,” Cook said. “I went and looked and it was really that first eight days of January. Last year the first eight days of January were really cold and it continued cold.
“We’re back on track now. We’re catching back up.”
Specific to peaches, the required chill hours depend on the particular variety growers choose to plant. Some may require as little as 500 chill hours, while others may need as many as 800. Tracking for chill hours is generally recorded from Oct. 1 to Feb. 15.
According to the UGA Weather Network, chill hours in Byron, Georgia, from Oct. 1 to Jan. 21, were at 610.75. This is compared to 718.75 at this time last year. Chill hours in Tifton, Georgia, were at 483.75 during the same timeframe, compared to 607.25 last year.
“We did start off good. We started off definitely with some good cold in October, November and December. When we got to the end of December and first of January, it changed on us,” Cook said. “AgroClimate has us projected at almost 950 hours. That would be good. We’d take it. Right now, the low range of what they have us at is about 830. At the low range, we’re still going to be in pretty good shape of most varieties we grow in middle Georgia.”