Florida Prince Peach Tree

A chicken wire cage around your peach tree. Other than that shooting the squirrels. Are the only other option that I know of.

Without information on what you are doing to grow them, its hard to provide much guidance, and agree with the staff post about soil testing. If its alive and growing, its probably just an environmental issue (soil/fertilization, water, sun) so test and see what is missing. But I can also describe what we have been doing for the past year and a half (purchased 10/23) in the event it helps figure out what to research. We are in Central FL, Zone 9B (old zoning). We have very sandy soil and its a new farm but we amended with a lot of compost at the time of planting both in and around the hole. We then mulched and watered a lot (automated watering). I applied dormant spray in the fall, added additional compost a few months later, provided some alfalfa pellets for slow release nitrogen (after heavy summer rains), and some 5-5-5 organic fertilizer. We also did a second horticultural oil spray just as it started to leaf back out. We are planted alongside Florida Grande and Tropic Beauty peaches for cross pollination options. As of my last visit a couple of weeks ago, two of the three were flowered and most are either getting small peaches started or appear to be about to. The third was just about to have bud break. I expect we will see some peaches for real this weekend when I get up there. The trees are still young and fairly small (4' more or less) so I have low expectations for fruit quality this year. We may remove most/all to allow it to focus on growth for another year, though I would like to get a couple from each one for taste testing. I also plan to collect soil samples this weekend to submit and ensure we are not missing anything. Our sandy soil makes it REALLY easy to have nutrients wash out.

My tree is still young and hasn’t born fruit yet. We had record lows this year at 7 degrees and my little tree survived with no issues. I didn’t even protect it from the cold.

That will depend upon which option you choose. Please see the "Choose an option" dropdown menu near the top of the page, which will show you the various sizes/options that are available.

We appreciate you reaching out to us. You can find the years-to-bear information in the Characteristics section, near the top of the page, underneath the description. This tree takes 2-4 years to bear.

If you have any further questions please don't hesitate to reach back out to us. Have a great day!

It’s wonderful to hear your Florida Prince Peach tree made it through the hurricanes! Blooming in early November might seem early, but it’s not unusual for certain peach varieties in warm climates, especially in South Florida. The Florida Prince is a low-chill variety, meaning it can flower with just a brief period of cooler weather, which might be why it’s blooming now. Early blooming, however, can lead to concerns if there's a sudden cold snap, as the flowers or young fruit could be at risk.

Here are a few tips to manage early blooms:

Protect Against Cold: If a rare cold spell is forecasted, consider covering the tree or using frost blankets to protect the blooms.

Keep an Eye on Growth: The Florida Prince is adapted for warmer climates, so it may still produce a crop even with early blooming. Once it’s more established, it may follow a more regular bloom pattern.

Water and Nutrient Management: Make sure your tree is well-watered but avoid over-fertilizing at this time, as too much nitrogen could encourage additional growth spurts out of season.

With time, your tree will likely acclimate to your environment and follow a more consistent pattern. Feel free to reach out if you notice any changes or need advice as the season progresses!

I am sorry to hear that this has happened. Please email Info@starkbros.com with pictures and a brief description so we can look into this for you.

We appreciate you reaching out to us. We use several different rootstocks, depending upon the desired result and what is available. For that reason, we're unable to guarantee a specific rootstock.

If you have any further questions please don't hesitate to reach back out to us. Have a great day!

You would plant the graft above the ground.

Late May early June