Vine Peaches

I see these advertised in seed a catalogs. Anyone here try them? Do they grow easy? Do they taste good? Worth planting?

[RoseGarden]

Yeah, I grew them once. They made little 'peaches', and I use the term loosely. They tasted like algae-filled water. IMO just another gimmicky plant.

[Rocky Fields]

Hey.

As RG said, just a gimmick.

"Reliance" is a hardy peach that tastes good.

RF

[HermitJohn]

Tiny cantaloupe without much flavor. I grew them one year and wasnt impressed in slightest.

You want a small melon with good taste, look for one called Nutmeg. Or if you want peaches, plant some peach trees, they dont take many years to bear fruit.

[Batt]

Originally Posted by HermitJohn

if you want peaches, plant some peach trees, they dont take many years to bear fruit.

If the frost doesn't get them year after year...

[Rocky Fields]

Adron,

I grew Reliance peach trees in my Illinois(zone 5) orchard for 20 years and never lost out on peaches to frost. I'm sure that it's warmer in OK where r.h. is and where you are in MO.

RF

[Terri]

I grew up in California, where fruit is big business.

The problem is not frost: peaches are very hardy when they are dormant. The problem is LATE frost, as the flowers and new growth is very tender!

I have heard that a heavy layer of straw around the tree will keep the ground cold for longer, which keeps the trees dormant longer. The later they break dormancy the safer thos blossoms are.

OF COURSE, the mulch should NEVER touch the trunk, as it risks mold on the bark which can kill the tree. Instead, you want the mulch a little AWAY from the trunk, but extending at least to the drip line of the tree.

[Jaclynne]

Originally Posted by HermitJohn

You want a small melon with good taste, look for one called Nutmeg.

HJ - I was looking up the Nutmeg melon mentioned, the only seed I find is for the heirloom "Giant Green Nutmeg". Is this the melon you reference?

Halo

[HermitJohn]

Originally Posted by HaloHead

HJ - I was looking up the Nutmeg melon mentioned, the only seed I find is for the heirloom "Giant Green Nutmeg". Is this the melon you reference?

Halo

It is green fleshed, but definitely not "giant". Been several years since I've grown it, but at that time it was in regular seed catalog and yes its open pollinated.

Quick google and apparently Bakers Creek sells it along with a number of other old varieties. Jenny Lind and Rocky Ford somewhat simular and maybe even smaller. http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Melons-American

Originally Posted by Rocky Fields

Adron,

I grew Reliance peach trees in my Illinois(zone 5) orchard for 20 years and never lost out on peaches to frost. I'm sure that it's warmer in OK where r.h. is and where you are in MO.

RF

It might be a bit warmer in Okla and Mo then Illinoise but that doesn't mean we are frost proof. Last year all of my apple, peach, pear, and cherry trees were in full bloom when all of a sudden we had a killing frost to hit us. All last summer was a fruitless, berryless year. No jams, jellies, or whine for 2007.

Not that I'm trying to substitute the peaches I grow now, I'm just always interested in something new.

[cathryn]

I grew these last year and thought maybe I did something wrong. Guess not. Mine tasted like bad cucumbers. Shame, I thought it would be kinda neat to grow a Native American friut (my husband has some in his background).

Peace, Cathryn