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| Peach flower open and ready for a pollinator. Nectarines are peaches without any fuzz on the skin. This was taken on February 1 in the Eastern Mojave Desert. There is a danger of frost until the middle of March. This is the most sensitive stage in fruit development to freezing temperatures. |
Q. I live in San Tan Valley, Arizona, and have a Panamint
Nectarine that, even though it flowers, has never produced fruit. It is about 7
years old. I keep it pruned to about 8′ ft. with an open center style. My Katy apricot grows about 8′ ft away and
sets tasty fruit every year. I am resigned
to the fact that I will never taste a Panamint nectarine. The local nursery
says were at about 500 chill hours.
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| Nectarine but I don’t remember which variety. |
A. The fact that your tree
flowered and didn’t produce fruit is a critical piece of information. People
contact me and tell me their fruit trees don’t produce fruit, but they fail to
tell me if it flowered or not. If a fruit tree doesn’t flower, it’s one set of
problems. If it flowers but doesn’t set fruit, then it’s a different set of problems.
flowered and didn’t produce fruit is a critical piece of information. People
contact me and tell me their fruit trees don’t produce fruit, but they fail to
tell me if it flowered or not. If a fruit tree doesn’t flower, it’s one set of
problems. If it flowers but doesn’t set fruit, then it’s a different set of problems.
Your nectarine tree flowered. If it had lots of flowers,
then I doubt if it’s a lack of chilling hours. Panamint nectarine is self-fruitful,
it just needs bees present when it flowers. If there are a lack of pollinators,
then you will get a very poor fruit set. Whenever lots of bees are present at
the time of flowering and there are no other problems, you get lots of fruit.
then I doubt if it’s a lack of chilling hours. Panamint nectarine is self-fruitful,
it just needs bees present when it flowers. If there are a lack of pollinators,
then you will get a very poor fruit set. Whenever lots of bees are present at
the time of flowering and there are no other problems, you get lots of fruit.
 |
| Nectarine new fruit developing after pollination. |
Late spring freezes can be a problem with some varieties
of all fruit trees. Some varieties are more sensitive to freezing temperatures
than others. This can be true of some varieties of peaches and nectarines.
of all fruit trees. Some varieties are more sensitive to freezing temperatures
than others. This can be true of some varieties of peaches and nectarines.
It can also be true of your location. If you are located
in low areas where cold air can accumulate, there is a greater chance of having
late spring frosts. Trees that are on slopes where cold air can drain away from
them are less likely to have losses due to late spring frost. The most critical
time temperature-wise is when the flower is open and through anthesis, i.e.
when the petals fall from the flowers.
in low areas where cold air can accumulate, there is a greater chance of having
late spring frosts. Trees that are on slopes where cold air can drain away from
them are less likely to have losses due to late spring frost. The most critical
time temperature-wise is when the flower is open and through anthesis, i.e.
when the petals fall from the flowers.
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| Arctic star nectarine in bloom about ten years old but pruned to open center and kept below 8 feet tall. |
Tolerance to colder temperatures is
greater before the flower opens and after the newly formed fruit has had a
chance to gain some size. We are talking only a couple of degrees Fahrenheit but
that can mean the difference between setting fruit and not setting fruit.
greater before the flower opens and after the newly formed fruit has had a
chance to gain some size. We are talking only a couple of degrees Fahrenheit but
that can mean the difference between setting fruit and not setting fruit.
 |
| Immediately after anthesis..when the petals fall from the flower. This peach flower was pollinated and the pitcher-shaped receptable has swollen and ready to grow into a peach fruit. Freezing temperatures, dipping below 32° F, can easily kill this tender receptacle at this stage and cause the flowers to drop from the tree without producing any fruit. |
I never liked Panamint very much. I had them growing at
the University orchard and pulled them out after they fruited a few years. I
don’t like the tree and I didn’t like the fruit.
the University orchard and pulled them out after they fruited a few years. I
don’t like the tree and I didn’t like the fruit.
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| Nectarine fruit developing |
After that many tries and getting flowering but no fruit,
I would get rid of it. My favorite nectarine so far is Arctic Star. It is a
white nectarine with wonderful flavor and aroma. It is one of my favorite
fruits of all time. I never had a problem with fruit setting even when other
fruit was lost due to late spring frost.
I would get rid of it. My favorite nectarine so far is Arctic Star. It is a
white nectarine with wonderful flavor and aroma. It is one of my favorite
fruits of all time. I never had a problem with fruit setting even when other
fruit was lost due to late spring frost.
I don’t agree 100% that
chilling hours is that important for several types of fruit. Perhaps some fruit
trees are not as sensitive to chilling hours as others. I don’t know. I am
growing peaches with 900 chilling hours for 20 years and we have about 300 units
in Las Vegas.
Sounds like a perfect opportunity to graft a new variety on to an established tree. The possibility sure beats the thought of digging up a mature tree and starting over.There are plenty of growers in the Phoenix area to obtain other varieties of scion wood from and probably help with the graft if you're not comfortable with trying it yourself…but what have you got to lose!
My experience with a Panamint tree at the 29 Palms Inn was not positive. Beautiful tree and loads of inedible fruit. Eventually removed.
What is the 900h chill peach that does well in your area please? Also what other varieties that do well for you and you enjoy the fruit? Thanks!
I just threatened my Panamint tree with death in the garbage can if it doesnt produce fruit. Its flowering here in Huntington Beach on Feb 18th after the heat wave in early February.
Lemon elberta is about 800, Reliance is about 1000, and Lemon elberta is a good peach for us.
I understand chill hours are a very important concept in fruit production. But its a man made estimate of the cold needed to satisfy a fruit tree and secure flowering in the future but I am not sure how useful it is in some fruit and trees. In my opinion I think chilling hours is overemphasized for some fruit trees.