Peach of a peach

Is the Alberta peach still grown? I know when I was young back in the 60s Mcleod farms in Mcbee SC grew them but have not seen them for years.Anyone know where to find them?

Could you have been talking about Elberta peach? If so you can buy them from Gurneys for about $20 .They are popular here in Alabama.

Could be since I dont remember how they were spelled.They were a large freestone and tasted great but that was a long time ago.Thanks for the info.

Johnson Nursery http://www.johnsonnursery.com/FRUIT%20PAGES/PEACHES.htm in Ellijay Ga. Ison's Nursery http://www.isons.com/trees.htm#standardpeaches Griffin Ga. Both carry the Elberta and are reputaple nurseries.

Stark's carries the Elberta Queen peach. It was so good this year.

This message was edited Jan 19, 2006 7:14 PM

Thank you all for the info.

There are many different Elberta peach trees in the orchard areas near here. There is Elberta, Early Elberta, Gleason Elberta and perhaps more. They are not my favorite peach. I have found that sometimes they are bitter, but many other people like them. Last year the best one we had was called Angela. I have never tasted a better peach. Another very good peach is a Canadian Harmony. Unfortunately I don't know where to get any of these peach trees.

I live in a zone 4b where we can't grow peaches, but the orchards are down in the valley which is a zone 6. The area is so famous for peaches that we have "Peach Days" every September. Actually, one of my daughter's was the Peach Queen in 1985. We just called her "The Pits." LOL!

I have two volunteer seedling trees that are likely Red Haven...very good.

At the suggestion from a neighbor, I saved last falls peach pits...let them dry a little and put them in the freezer. The peaches were purchased in Spartanburg, SC and I canned all I could get my hands on! Delicious!!! Anyway...back to the "suggestion"...my neighbor said that freezing the pits would simulate winter and I could plant the pits in the spring. He said that they would sprout and I would have baby peach trees! I think I understand that the baby trees may not be identical to the parent tree they came from, and may not bear fruit. I can't remember if they were Red Haven or Hale Haven. Is it worth trying?
Thanks for any advice you can offer!

Laura

Red Haven is a very popular commercial peach in South Carolina. The older Hale Haven is a good peach but seldom grown commercially anymore. All are hybrids promulgated by grafting. But to answer your question, yes the pits are viable. I still do a few seedlings each year by planting the pits in fall. They won't be tru to the original but often are very good peaches. Mostly tho I just use them as grafting stock. The seedlings will take a couple of extra years like about three more than a nusery started tree. If you have time and space and a curious nature it would be worth it. If you want bearing peaches fast, no.

Thanks for the help Farmerdill. I think it's kinda exciting! I was thinking of planting them in 1/2 gallon containers and burying (with the rim of the pot just above the surface) them in a trench I used last year for starting grapes. I could keep them mulched and protected over the winter and eventually move them to a permanent home. Good idea???.....bad idea????

Also, where can I learn more about "grafting stock"? I'm sure I don't understand!!

Thank you for your help,

Laura

Suncrest is the best variety here in the Willamette Valley, really tasty!

Anybody familiar with the variety "Indian Blood"? It's described on the tag as having red and purple mottled skin with yellow flesh streaked with red. It's a cling, which was NOT what I was looking for, but a nice man who looked like he knew what he was doing (i know, I know, but he DID!) was choosing one to take back to TN. Said it was one of his favorites. When I got home I found that one had crawled into the truck in between the Elberta's......

It is a cling with vibrant flavor. In many cases clings have more flavor than freestones and this is one of them. The inconvenience of using clings has removed most of them from the market.

The Indian Blood Cling is from my experience a kitchen peach par excellence. It makes the best ice cream or pie or any other cooked dish you could imagine. It is more sour than most peaches. It has an unusual flavor as well which really shines when cooked. It is a good eating peach but that is not its forte. Traditionally it was a pickling peach and I imagine it would also be without peer in that category.

Scott



This message was edited Apr 9, 2008 8:36 AM

Thank you Farmerdill and Scott, that confirms what the nice man said. I remember cutting up cling peaches when I was a kid, and how good they were. Maybe that's why I have so much trouble finding anything that measures up tastewise these days, all I've ever bought were freestones. Hmm. Maybe I should get another one. I'm hoping to learn to preserve what I grow, and sounds like this would be a good choice. I need a nectarine, and the trees are 2 for $20......
Thanks again

check out the article re peaches on www.demosnews.com--> home section-->luscious fruits for a short summer season