Warm winter could delay Alabama peaches
“This is exactly what happened last year,” Dr. Powell said. “We’ve noticed, through the years, the winters are getting increasingly warmer.”
He explained that the average peach tree should get around 1,000 "chill" hours to bloom on schedule, but this year some have only seen around 500-550. This leaves the rest of the trees that, again, need about 1,000 hours, only halfway to their minimum requirement.
According to Dr. Powell, these hours are supposed to be completed by mid-February, so the trees can be ready to bloom by mid-to-late March.
The high temperatures “stresses” the trees, according to Dr. Powell, and can confuse them into trying to bloom before it’s time. That in turn could create a lag in production that could have a domino effect on growing seasons to come.
With Clanton being the city that leads Alabama in peach production, Dr. Powell said this is a “big deal” for the region.
“The peach industry in this state is worth $10 million, maybe up to $15 million in a good year,” Dr. Powell said. “This county comprises, at least, 70 to 80 percent of the crop in the whole state.”
However, Dr. Powell said there is hope. In the past couple of the years, the USDA approved a fertilizer-like spray that mimics the effects that chill hours have on produce. The hiccup with using the product is that there are very specific times and amounts that the spray needs to be applied for it to be effective, which he said keeps some growers from seeing positive results.
source: wsfa.com
