Growing Strawberry Plants

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12 Apr 23 (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
Hi, Looking for ideas on low chill stone fruit varieties with successful fruiting along the kzn Westville area. I am getting mixed information with some claims of high humidity being problematic. As a kid we had a green variety of peach that bore 100's if fruit but cant find the exact variety. Thanks Mohammed
29 Apr 23 Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
Your title says strawberries - your question is regarding peaches. You seem to have two issues. The first chilling hours -- which the net (FTN) defines as: Chilling hours are the minimum number of hours that a peach tree needs to get, specifically, nighttime temperatures between 32 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit, in order to produce a good crop of peaches.. If the hours are not met (say in a warm winter), the blossoms mostly just fall off the trees and do not set fruit. Additionally you mentioned humidity which for peaches is leaf curl: (FTN) Peach leaf curl is a fungal disease of peach and nectarine. It is favoured by prolonged wet, cool weather in the spring as new growth is developing. Infected leaves become thick and curled with red and yellow discolouration. Infected leaves eventually drop. Again FTN Peaches with the fewest chill hour requirements are all yellow freestones. Cultivars needing 100 chill hours or less, the lowest requirement, include Gulf Queen (Prunus persica “Gulf Queen"), Mid Pride (Prunus persica “Mid Pride”), Bonita (Prunus persica “Bonita”) and Ventura (Prunus persica “Ventura”). Also Eva's Pride. additionally: With one exception, white peaches with low chill requirements are all freestones. At 200 chill hours, Tropic Snow (Prunus persica “Tropic Snow") has the lowest requirement. If you think a nectarine might work then: Desert Delight is a good choice --- but it seems to me that you might want to think about persimmons.
19 Apr 23 (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Best to google for that kind of info. You just have to try it. .

Your title says strawberries - your question is regarding peaches. You seem to have two issues. The first chilling hours -- which the net (FTN) defines as: Chilling hours are the minimum number of hours that a peach tree needs to get, specifically, nighttime temperatures between 32 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit, in order to produce a good crop of peaches.. If the hours are not met (say in a warm winter), the blossoms mostly just fall off the trees and do not set fruit. Additionally you mentioned humidity which for peaches is leaf curl: (FTN) Peach leaf curl is a fungal disease of peach and nectarine. It is favoured by prolonged wet, cool weather in the spring as new growth is developing. Infected leaves become thick and curled with red and yellow discolouration. Infected leaves eventually drop. Again FTN Peaches with the fewest chill hour requirements are all yellow freestones. Cultivars needing 100 chill hours or less, the lowest requirement, include Gulf Queen (Prunus persica “Gulf Queen"), Mid Pride (Prunus persica “Mid Pride”), Bonita (Prunus persica “Bonita”) and Ventura (Prunus persica “Ventura”). Also Eva's Pride. additionally: With one exception, white peaches with low chill requirements are all freestones. At 200 chill hours, Tropic Snow (Prunus persica “Tropic Snow") has the lowest requirement. If you think a nectarine might work then: Desert Delight is a good choice --- but it seems to me that you might want to think about persimmons.

- Celeste Archer

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