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THe Oldest Peach Tree

• Message 1. 

  Posted by mal (U14651799) on Friday, 26th November 2010

  Earlier in the year, on Gardeners Question Time when a listener asked a question about his 32 year old peach tree he was congratulated for having one of that age by Bob Flowerdew who added that the life of a peach tree was normally about 25 years which prompts me to ask what is the greatest recorded age? My own peach tree is nearing the end of its life having been infected with bracket fungus for at least 15 years and having suffered with peach leaf curl for most of its life, sometimes so badly that I have sometimes had to remove 80% of its leaves in order to not lose the developing fruit.The variety is undoubtedly "Peregrine" and was grown from a single peach bought from a George Cohen store,(the humble beginnings of the Tesco empire) the stone germinating in April 1966 making the tree almost 45 years old! Ih its time it has produced over 6000 peaches, the biggest crop about 15 years ago being over 1100 and the largest fruit weighed 328 grammes, the average being around 150 gr. Last year the crop numbered 140 and this year 110. I guess I've had my money's woth from that 1/3d (6p) peach!

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Swedboy (U14400604) on Saturday, 27th November 2010

  You grew it from a stone! That is pretty impressive. I thought the plants from shop bought peaches wouldn't survive in the UK.
  
  Maybe it is time to propagate it. Can you take cuttings from it and start anew?

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• Message 3

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  Posted by Vixxihibiscus (U13865184) on Saturday, 27th November 2010

  Mal,
  
  Being a newby with a one year old peach tree your story gives me hope. It fairly put a smile on my face. Congratulations on your wonderful tree. Here's hoping I get as much joy from my £15 one (also a Peregrine)
  
  All the best!

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by mal (U14651799) on Saturday, 27th November 2010

  Hi KJ-I've tried cuttings and grafting on numerous occasions without success and even cracked open probably 1000 stones wihout finding a viable kernel so I must have been extremely lucky with the original.A little more info. - the tree spent its first 3 years indoors on a windowcill before being planted outside when we bought our house.Two years later Imoved it and the tree nearly died. I moved it again 4 years later and it struggled to recover. Itfirst fruited at 12 years old with a crop of 25 but the next year produced over 200 Last year I removed an old 6" diameter branch with a horizontal cut and last week I dug out the rotted heartwood to adepth of 12", capped the top, drilled a 1 1/4" hole in the side near the bottom and tapped in a 4" nail to provide aperch, creating a snug winter roost for the small birds.

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• Message 5

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  Posted by Swedboy (U14400604) on Sunday, 28th November 2010

  You probably know this but have you tried to sand the stone down? I read in one of my old books that sanding down the stone improves the rate of germination.

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• Message 6

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  Posted by mal (U14651799) on Sunday, 28th November 2010

  Hi vixxi hibiscus (or may I call you Newby?) Thanks for your reply. A couple of tips with your tree which you may already be aware of, keep under cover if you can from leaf-fall till the buds start to break in early spring and spray with liquid copper fugicide at both those times. If you should get the dreaded peach leaf curl and some leaves are only part affected then just remove the affected part and leave the rest to photosynthesise and help maintain the strength of the tree. Wishing you every success, regards ,Mal.

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• Message 7

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  Posted by Jon and Suzie (U14609562) on Monday, 6th December 2010

  That's all fascinating stuff. Also if you grew your tree from a stone, we're assuming that it wouldn't've grown true to the original fruit and may be an original variety that may have some value (not neccesarily money wise).
  We hope you can find a way of taking a successful cutting, someone on here should be able to advise.
  We have got a few plum stones and a pear pip to germinate by cold stratification, we will have to see how the trees (seedlings) do after last weeks cold snap though, but they have been going a couple of years.
  All the best Jon and Suzie.

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• Message 8

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  Posted by mal (U14651799) on Tuesday, 14th December 2010

  Peregrine is a self-fertile variety and there are no other peach trees anywhere near so I see no reason why it should not be true to the original and it has all the characteristics.Yhe fruit are gorgeous and my neighbours of mediterranean origin rave over them, saying they are as good as any they have tasted! (AND DONT ASK ME FOR MY ADDRESS!!!)

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• Message 9

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  Posted by Jon and Suzie (U14609562) on Sunday, 19th December 2010

  If you grew it from a stone you wouldn't know for sure what the parentage was would you? Have you compared your peaches with ones for sale as Peregrines

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• Message 10

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  Posted by Jon and Suzie (U14609562) on Monday, 20th December 2010

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• Message 11

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by Vixxihibiscus (U13865184) on Tuesday, 21st December 2010

  Hi Mal,
  
  Thanks for the info, I have bought a polytunnel to house them in (a Peregrine and Rochester Peach, Madame Blanchett Nectarine and Tomcot Apricot) Second hand, most of the polythene salvaged, 36m long and £200!!! Here's hoping I get it up before the spores find my trees!
  
  I have dreams of peach bellinis!
  
  Kindest Regards

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