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Cut down remove and replace peach tree?

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Posted by wolfridgeil 5a (My Page) on
Sat, May 24, 14 at 10:40

location: Yorkville, IL: (Far west Chicago exurb)

Would you cut down and replace these peach trees due to winter damage?

Both the Reliant pictured here and the Intrepid posted below are still alive, but there are so few active leaf buds that I think I will be waiting for years for trees to leaf out fully. Likely they will be odd shaped as I may have to remove entire dead limbs (ok! more odd shaped than they are right now). Got less than a week to make up my mind if I want to get bareroot trees from Starks on sale.

Anybody have a similar experience? How long will it take for these trees to come back?

I've also posted an image below of golden privet winter damage. I've got other shrubs doing the same thing as we had days in January in the upper minus teens deg F.
other key words: chop dig up destroy

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RE: Cut down remove and replace peach tree?

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Here is the Intrepid. Hard to see but there are areas with leaf growth in the upper center right and mid center right areas. This Intrepid tree appears to be in worse shape than the Reliant, which at least has tip growth on most major limbs. There are only a few sections on the Intrepid showing growth.

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RE: Cut down remove and replace peach tree?

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Here is image of golden privet. I am waiting on these plants too!

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RE: Cut down remove and replace peach tree?

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  • Posted by fruitnut z7b-8a,4500ft SW TX (My Page) on
    Sat, May 24, 14 at 11:08

I don't have experience but would be replacing trees like those. That assumes you've had enough warmth, and I think you have, to where they should be pushing all over. The tree is likely to get worse not better when it turns hot.

It looks like you have plenty of room. Maybe you could keep these just to learn and plant new.

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RE: Cut down remove and replace peach tree?

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Wow...those look rough. It they were mine, they'd be firewood.

I'm in southwest WI and colder then you and my peaches (the ones that survived) are all leafed out and growing.

This was a very tough year on fruit trees...hopefully it was just an anomaly.

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RE: Cut down remove and replace peach tree?

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If you do decide to cut them down, keep in mind that fruit tree wood makes good fragrant firewood!

Carol

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RE: Cut down remove and replace peach tree?

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Franktank: How many peach trees did you lose? These are my only trees.

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RE: Cut down remove and replace peach tree?

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I would have to disagree regarding cutting them down. It takes quite a few years to grow a peach tree to that size. They are fast-growing and early-fruiting, which is part of their downfall, however the root structure is more developed and can hopefully push new growth faster. If I were you I'd remove everything, leaving just the last branch, as peaches do not push new growth on the trunk like most other trees. This will hopefully give the tree a jump-start. If it doesn't work then so be it, but if it does you'll have plenty of fruit next year. The new shoots will have to be trained, but then you can remove the remaining old branch and trim to your liking.

If you have room then plant a couple more of different cultivars, or maybe something different like pie cherries.

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RE: Cut down remove and replace peach tree?

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Milehighgirl: I've got 2 tart cherries with fruit. I've got 2 sweet with only leaves due to the harsh winter.. I think I'm set there.

I'll likely replace the Intrepid. I might leave the Reliant and see what happens. But it will look pretty odd if new growth does not push from some of the larger limbs.

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I removed 3 peach trees. I don't think the damage was quite as bad as yours, it was mainly just a bunch of dead small wood. Your trees are much larger then mine (mine are all seedlings in there 2nd/3rd year). You could prune them back hard and see if you can form new branching? So hard to say how the tree will respond.

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I agree with Mile...the advantages of salvaging an established tree are many. However, you must do your research and get more facts. Find out EXACTLY which branches are alive and viable. Those are the only ones that will remain. It might entail radical pruning...so be it. You are looking for the best solution to a bad situation. Scratch below the bark...find viable buds for use as terminals. All this might not be possible if the damage is too severe.

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RE: Cut down remove and replace peach tree?

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Make it a science project and get rid of the Reliance and keep the intrepid. On the Intrepid prune away it's dead wood and the rest will grow fast. You may want to steer growth by tieing it in order to fill it in well and get the width rather then height

I would get rid of the Reliance and get a Contender or Madison. Reliance mostly does not deliver on cold hardiness and rarely delivers on flavor. Not just my opinion, but also the experience of many others here

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  • Posted by fruitnut z7b-8a,4500ft SW TX (My Page) on
    Sat, May 24, 14 at 22:27

I'd keep them also just to see what happens. But my bet is they'll be dead by mid summer, certainly by next spring. Just because there's only a few shoots doesn't mean they'll grow rapidly. Water has to get from the roots to the shoots. Check out franktank's current post about apricots after a similar winter.

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RE: Cut down remove and replace peach tree?

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The Reliance has considerably more leaf action vs Intrepid so based on this one comparison I think it did better over the winter. I'll let mother nature take its course for at least another week in hopes that new growth will point me in the right direction for salvaging some sort of normal branching structure. I really need to see buds lower on the tree instead of out on the tip of a very long branch. Starkbros customer service said wait a year.

Where would I purchase Madison? Starkbros has Contender but only dwarf. I'd rather grow standard size trees since I don't have that many.

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Adams County has Madison, and they may still have it in stock. It doesn't show as sold out, which is a miracle for this time of year. They have it on Bailey

Here is a link that might be useful: Madison

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RE: Cut down remove and replace peach tree?

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I'm close to Wolfridge in Big Rock, IL and had several days where I woke up and the temps were -20-22 degrees out. even afterwards, it's been a cold spring. A lot of what I have that's recently planted is far behind in it's growth.

My Peach and Nectarine are both a few years old and were doing well. This year they look like yours, with some buds starting then dying out.

Since I'm lazy, I'm going to keep the trees in place and see how they do. I'll make sure to keep them watered when it's dry out, and with fresh mulch.

I have a couple of Boxwoods in front that also experienced a lot of dieback, especially on top. Not sure what I'll do about them yet.

vince

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