If you have been searching for the best Peach Tree to grow in a warm location, then the Florida Grande Peach Tree is here to save the day. The Florida Grande Peach Tree only needs 100 Chill Hours each year and it can be grown in-ground within USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 11. Florida Grande Peaches are large, freestone fruits with orange-red skins and yellow flesh. The ripe fruit is juicy, melting, and has a honey sweetness. Florida Grande Peach Trees do best in direct sun, with good airflow, and well-drained soil. They can also be grown in pots on a patio or deck where they will add a unique combination of beauty and delicious nutrition.
Florida Grande Peach Trees grow to heights of 10 to 20 feet. You can keep them smaller by trimming them once a year in late winter before the new growth arrives in early spring. Florida Grande Peach Trees are self-pollinating, which means that one tree will make fruit. You can also pair it with a second Peach Tree to grow even more peaches each season. The Florida Grande Peach Tree is a great choice for southern states, is easy to grow, and will provide you with sweet, juicy, large peaches right from your own edible landscape.
Florida Grande Peach Trees can be grown in warmer areas as far south as the Florida Keys. The trees spread to about 15 feet wide. When planting, choose a spot with good draining soil and plant in spring or summer. You can add coarse sand to the planting area to increase drainage if needed. The best location gets at least six hours of direct sun per day. Do not over-burry the root ball, and mulch with three inches of wood chips from the tree base in a circle bed that is at least six feet in diameter. Water newly planted trees once per day for the first three days, then when the soil is dry down to two inches deep.
The best time to prune Florida Grande Peach Trees is in their dormant stage. Most trees growing in the recommended zones of 8 to 11 will be dormant in February. Initially prune the tree so that it has one main trunk and three evenly spaced main, central branches. Cut away all other branches and trim the main three to lengths of about one foot from the main trunk. Prune again in the second and third winter, by pruning back to three one-foot branches at the ends of the first three branches you created in the initial pruning. Once this is done, prune the tree every February to remove dead branches and branches growing inward. Each summer remove any suckers from the trunk that grow below the three main branches.
Fruit & Harvesting
The Florida Grande Peach Tree will produce large red to orange peaches that ripen 100 to 105 days after blooming. Grafted trees can be expected to begin producing fruit in 2 to 3 years after planting. The trees need 100 chill hours per year to slow growth and generate blooms in spring. A chill hour is one hour when the temperature is between 45ºF and 32ºF. In the world of peach trees, 100 chill hours is quite low, which allows this variety to bloom and make fruit in warmer areas where other peach tree types may not. Florida Grande Peaches are round, freestone, and melting, so the fruit is great for eating fresh, making peach cobbler, ice cream, or freezing to blend into fruit smoothies.
Florida Grande Peaches ripen from mid-May through June. As the peaches start to develop deeper red colors, test them by squeezing for firmness on the tree. Fruits that are ripe will yield slightly to gentle squeezes and will be sweet and juicy when sampled. The best way to check for ripeness is to do a taste test. If the fruit you taste is sour or astringent and dry inside, wait for a few days and try another fruit. Once the fruits begin to ripen, finding perfect ones to pick will become easy. Be sure to harvest all remaining fruit at the end of the growing season to give the tree a good start for next year.
Advice
Peach wood is highly sought after for use in cooking and smoking foods. To smoke or cook over peach wood, save the larger limbs when pruning. Cut away any leaves and small twigs, then cut the peach limbs into manageable pieces of between six and ten inches long. Store the trimmed and cut peach wood in a shaded, dry place, such as in the garage or in a garden shed. Be sure the wood is in an open container that allows good airflow. A black plastic nursery pot with several holes cut in the sidewalls, or a milk-crate type plastic bin, are both good options. Allow the wood to dry for at least 4 months and then use as you would any dried cooking or smoking wood.
FAQs
Can the Florida Grande Peach Tree be grown in Florida?
Yes, Florida Grande Peach Trees can be grown in USDA Zones 8 to 11, and this includes Florida.
How many chill hours does a Florida Grande Peach Tree need?
The Florida Grande Peach Tree only needs 100 Chill Hours each year to make fruit.
Do Florida Grande Peach Trees need pollinator trees?
Florida Grande Peach Trees are self-fertile and can grow fruit with only one tree. Peach trees grown with compatible pollinator companions will grow more fruit.
How cold hardy is the Florida Grande Peach Tree?
Florida Grande Peach Trees can survive cold temperatures down to 20ºF.
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