By Clint Thompson
Alabama peach trees are off to a strong start this year thanks to high chill hours. But growers are also aware this is just the first step in establishing a crop for the upcoming spring, says Edgar Vinson, assistant research professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Horticulture at Auburn University
“It’s looking pretty good as far as chill hours go. Depending on the model, we’re either well over 800 or around 800. It’s certainly a lot better than last year,” Vinson said. “I think we’ve got enough chill hours that things should proceed fairly normally as long as there’s no late season freeze that could damage a lot of our developing blooms. In a few weeks, we should start blooming, start seeing some blooms on some trees in early varieties.
“This is just one of several hurdles that we feel like we have to get over. This is one that we’ve made it over pretty well, I think. We’ll just wait for the next one in terms of the potential for frost.”
Like other growers in the Southeast, Alabama farmers are in need of a bounce-back season following low production in 2023. The crop was impacted by abnormally warm temperatures last February, followed by a couple of freeze events in March.
Peaches need chill hours to mature. The required chill hours depend on the specific variety growers choose to plant. Some may require as little as 500 chill hours, while others may need as many 800. So far so good for Alabama producers.
“It really depends on the variety and how much chill it requires, but things should pretty much be on schedule,” Vinson said.