The mild but cool Georgia wintertime and red-hot summer make a suitable clime for a variety ofpeach treesin the country . Traditionally , the clayey commercial-grade production of peaches in Georgia pass in the midsection — roughly the belt from Columbus to Albany . It ’s most concentrated in Crawford , Peach , Taylor and Macon county . flower open up in late February or March , and yield harvest begins as betimes as May and ends in August .

History

Although aboriginal to China , stunner first arrived in North America thanks to the Spanish . In 1571 , the first peach tree were put in into Georgia on St. Simon ’s and Cumberland islands , according to the Georgia Peach Council . By the late nineteenth century and into the early 20th century , peach orchard acreage expanded importantly , and in the 30 years following the Civil War , Americans adopt the " Peach State " byname for the southern state .

Annual Production

The peak of annual peach yield yield within Georgia was in 1928 , when virtually 8 million bushes were glean , according to the Georgia Peach Festival website . Since then , yield importantly drop and hovers around 2.5 million bushels each year even today .

Peaches and Cold Weather

Peaches grow in every county in Georgia , but because of winter temperatures , some varieties are suited only to field with the appropriate amount of cold . Peach tree must die hard a winter quiescence period with temperature below 45 degree Fahrenheit to give rise flower buds and fruit the following outflow and summertime . Thus , in colder highland counties in northern Georgia , " eminent chill " varieties are easily grow . In the coastal south were winters are much warmer , " low chill " varieties are favored since they manage to raise flowers with much less exposure to and duration of cold . In between lies central Georgia — an idealistic area in both clime and soil for produce a huge selection of peach varieties , accounting for over 80 percent of the state ’s annual craw .

Growing Peaches

Besides the demand for winter chilling , peach trees grow best in a fertile , loamy soil that is moist but drains well , never rest soggy after pelting or irrigation . For best flowering and fruit production , site trees where they receive at least 10 hour of direct sunlight daily . Since peach blossom so early in spring when untimely frost remain possible , do n’t plant the trees in low - lie areas where cold air pools . Once flowers or diminutive fruits are drink down by freeze , the trees do not flower again that class .

References

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