Planting Our New Three-in-One Peach Tree at BLeaves Farms!
At BLeaves Farms, we’re always looking for exciting additions to our homestead that bring both beauty and bounty. Our latest planting has us absolutely thrilled–a three-in-one peach tree featuring Desert Gold, Mid Pride, and Eva’s Pride peaches! This incredible tree will provide us with an extended peach season and a variety of delicious fruit, all from a single tree!
Why Low-Chill Peaches Are Perfect for Warm Climates
If you live in a warm climate like Phoenix, Arizona (USDA Zone 9b), selecting the right fruit trees is crucial. Many fruit trees require a certain number of “chill hours” (hours under 45°F) in order to break dormancy and set fruit. Since Phoenix experiences mild winters, we need low-chill fruit trees–varieties that require fewer than around 300 chill hours to ensure a successful harvest. Sometimes we get lucky and get up to 400 chill hours, however we try not to press our luck and prefer trees 300 chill hours and below.
Meet Our Three Peach Varieties
- Desert Gold Peach: One of the best low-chill peaches, needing only 100-200 chill hours. It produces sweet, juicy, yellow-fleshed peaches early in the season, typically from April to May in warm climates. This variety is known for its excellent flavor and reliability in the desert heat.
- Mid Pride Peach: Requiring around 250 chill hours, Mid Pride peaches ripen a little later than Desert Gold, extending our peach season into late May and June. The fruit is medium to large, with a delicious balance of sweetness and acidity, making it perfect for fresh eating, baking, and canning.
- Eva’s Pride Peach: With a chill requirement of 200-300 hours, Eva’s Pride is another fantastic variety for warm climates. The peaches are exceptionally juicy and flavorful, ripening in early June. This variety is often praised for its low acidity and melting texture, making it a favorite for fresh eating.
A Delicious Addition to Our U-Pick Orchard
We are so excited to have this multi-grafted peach tree as part of our BLeaves Farms U-Pick Orchard! Visitors will be able to enjoy the experience of picking their own sun-ripened peaches at peak freshness. With three varieties ripening at different times, we’ll have an extended peach-picking season from April through June–perfect for making peach cobblers, jams, fresh smoothies, and our favorite–peaches in fresh goat’s milk!
Amazon Affiliate Links–Helpful Items for Growing & Enjoying Peaches
If you’re thinking of planting your own peach tree or want to enjoy the fruits of our labor, here are some great Amazon finds to complement your peach-growing and eating experience:
- The Peach Truck Cookbook: 100 Recipes for All Things Peach: A must-have book featuring a variety of delicious peach-inspired recipes. [Affiliate link]
- Fruit Collection Basket: A sturdy and easy-to-carry basket makes harvesting peaches a breeze. [Affiliate link]
- Pruners: Essential for trimming branches and shaping your peach tree for optimal growth. [Affiliate link]
- Loppers: Perfect for cutting thicker branches and keeping your peach tree healthy. [Affiliate link]
- Organic Fruit Tree Fertilizer: Specially formulated to support the health and productivity of peach trees. [Affiliate link]
- Grow a Little Fruit Tree Book: A great guide to keeping fruit trees manageable and productive. [Affiliate link]
- Canning Kit: Everything you need to preserve your peaches by making jams, preserves, and canned peaches for year-round enjoyment. [Affiliate link]
Join Us for Peach Season!
We can’t wait to watch this three-in-one peach tree grow and thrive at BLeaves Farms! Whether you’re a fellow gardener or a peach lover, we hope you’ll join us during our U-Pick season to enjoy these incredible varieties fresh from the tree.
Have you grown low-chill peaches before? Share your experiences and favorite peach recipes on our BLeaves Farms Facebook and Instagram pages!
