Any errors in below are those of the writer, not of the speaker.
Peaches
Living in Lehigh Acres we have a limited amount of "chill" time which all peaches require. Not all peaches will work here. When purchasing a peach tree be sure to ask about the "chill hours". In our area, we need peaches in the 100 to 150 chill hour range. A chill hour/unit is considered an hour at around 45 degrees Fahrenheit and they accumulate during the winter.
DO NOT USE ROUNDUP around YOUNG PEACHES. It stunts them.
We often have to remove peach tree leaves if they do not fall on their own. Remove around Thanksgiving.
Suggested peach varieties:
Floraglow, white flesh, sweet, 150 chill hours
Tropic Beauty, yellow flesh, 125 chill hours
UF One, unfruitful in mind winters, night temps need to be below 68 when in bloom, 150 chill hours
UF Sun, yellow flesh, fragrant, 100 chill hours
UF Best, yellow flesh, 100 chill hours
Thin peaches for larger peaches.
Caribbean fruit fly is a problem with peaches. Use a McPhail Trap with sugar to trap or a GF120 molasses based spray.
Peach Monthly Care (fertilizer should have micro-nutrients)
January: Foliar spray with zinc if did not do in December. Winter prune.
February: Fertilize .4 -.5 lb per mature tree when leaves appear.
March: Thin fruit to 5-6" spacing. Treat leaf rush, spray for bugs and rot.
April: Harvest. Fertilize .3 lb per mature tree. Spray for bugs and rot. Use McPhial traps for Caribbean fruit fly.
May: Harvest. Spray if needed.
June: Fertilize .3 lb per mature tree. Summer prune. Remove vigorous shoots in center of tree and branches hanging down to ground. Prune to a bowl.
July: Foliar spray with zinc. Finish pruning.
August: Foliar spray with zinc.
September: Foliar spray with zinc.
October: Foliar spray with zinc.
November: Foliar spray with zinc. Spray peach white scale.
December: Winter prune. Dormant oil only when dormant (oil, copper, zinc).
Suggested Plums:
Gulf Ruby
Gulf Gold
Gulf Beauty
Gulf Blaze
Gulf Rose
Mid May harvest
BLUEBERRIES
They hate sand. Grow in HEAVY, elevated pine mulch.
Harvest end April to mid May.
Suggested varieties:
Jewel
Emerald
Sebring
Springhigh
Sapphire
Misty
Gulfcoast
