Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
cillin

McKay & FF PF-24C peaches?

cillin
10 years ago

I have narrowed down my choices for a winter hardy peach to two varieties: the McKay offered by Woodstock Nursery and the Flamin'Fury PF-24 Cold Hardy.

Is anyone growing either one of these now?

Are they grafted onto a rootstock or are they seedlings?

What are your experiences with these peaches?

Comments (11)

  • northwoodswis4
    10 years ago

    My experience with the PF-24 peach was that it died the first winter here just east of St. Paul, MN. Northwoodswis

  • olpea
    10 years ago

    cillin,

    Just curious why are you looking for cold hardy peaches in zone 6b? Most peaches would be cold hardy enough in Z6b.

  • cillin
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    The area I am considering to move to, while a prime commercial peach growing county, still experiences some losses about every 5 to 8 years.

    I just want to have a large margin of error.

  • olpea
    10 years ago

    Cillin,

    For most commercial peach areas crop failure is the result of late freezes. Mckay and PF24C won't help much in that regard.

    Sometimes cold hardy varieties require a little more chill, and so bloom a bit later under some circumstances, but most times peaches bloom fairly close together (at least that's my experience).

    There are winters in some places where it is cold enough to kill the fruit buds, but not the peach wood itself. Under these circumstances a cold hardy peach may be advantageous some years. This occurs in zones 5 or colder. I wouldn't expect this to occur in zone 6b (or if it occurred, it would be extremely rare).

    I thought of trying PF24c, not because I need a cold hardy peach, but because I'm curious how it compares to my other peaches in flavor. I wouldn't consider McKay because, as I understand it, McKay is on par with Reliance in quality. People grow McKay because they are in climates where they can't grow any other peach.

  • mamuang_gw
    10 years ago

    Chillin,
    I've had PF 24 C in the ground for 4-5 years now. Our winter's average low is 20's. It can be subzero a couple of days now and then. So far, it has not had any issue. The fruit is on a large size when you thin sufficiently. Its taste is a blend of sweetness and a bit of sour. I call it refreshing. I like this variety.

  • milehighgirl
    10 years ago

    I have had my PF-24C in ground for several years now. We had a horrible spring this year and I could not see how it was any more cold-hardy than other peaches that are far superior and seem to be equally hardy. According to most data I should not be able to grow O'Henry or Silver Logan here but they have been just as hardy as PF-24C and far superior in flavor.

    If we knew where you were we may be able to give you more suggestions.

  • cillin
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    The location is Berrien county in southwestern Michigan.

    My plan is to select a cold hardy, long lived, and disease resistant variety to serve as the "mother" tree to prune into a open center form. I was inspired by this photo of a 5 in 1 peach tree. The downside is that it would require annual pruning to maintain this shape, and grafting scions to the branch tips.

    The roots, trunk, and branches would be all the same tree. On the branches, scions would be grafted onto it. So the fruit quality of the mother tree isn't relevant.

    In other threads, some have recommended Madison for having the qualities I am looking for.

    Ultimately, after selecting the variety of the "mother" tree, I am hoping to obtain some peach pits to grow out some seedlings. The problem is that the donor tree can't have any other peach varieties nearby to avoid potential cross pollination. That would result in a F1 cross and not a true to type seed.

  • olympia_gardener
    10 years ago

    I could be wrong, but I doubt this tree grows any peaches. It is a flowering peach tree on the picture.

  • milehighgirl
    10 years ago

    My take is that this would be something only a very experienced peach grafter would undertake. If all you want is a tree that has different bloom colors then an apple would be the easiest to graft.

    There is a tree near me that looks very similar to your photo but it is a flowering crab. It is actually multiple trees planted close together so that they become one (there's a word for this but it eludes me now)

    I believe you will be setting yourself up for disappointment and a lot of frustration.

    I do not understand your paragraph: "Ultimately, after selecting the variety of the "mother" tree, I am hoping to obtain some peach pits to grow out some seedlings. The problem is that the donor tree can't have any other peach varieties nearby to avoid potential cross pollination. That would result in a F1 cross and not a true to type seed." The type of seed produced should be irrelevant.

  • mamuang_gw
    10 years ago

    Cillin,

    I agree with others that there are several other peaches superior to PF 24 C for zone 6. When I first started growing peach, my zone was 5 b. That' s why I looked for a hardier variety.

    My next peach will be one of these: Madison, Winblo, O' Henry, Clayton or TangO. It'll be fine in our zone.

  • cillin
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Anyone growing a McKay?

0