UGA report: Peach farmers optimistic about 2018 crop

A report from the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences says the state’s peach farmers are optimistic about the 2018 crop.

The report by Merritt Melancon on the UGA Extension website, http://extension.uga.edu/, says the cold temperatures experienced this winter make for good production.

Warm winters in 2016 and 2017 left the state with near record low number of needed chill hours then growers suffered catastrophic damage from a late-march frost and wind damage from Hurricane Irma.

The report says with chill hours back to normal levels, around 900 hours in middle Georgia, peach experts and farmers are optimistic about the triumphant return of Georgia’s $48 million peach crop this summer.

The report says peach trees need between 650-950 chill hours, those below 45 degrees, to produce a healthy number of leaves, blooms and fruit in the summer.

Georgia’s top three peach-producing counties are Macon, Peach and Taylor with the major producers managing orchards in several neighboring counties.

Peach trees are on track to produce flowers in March. Jeff Cook, a UGA agriculture and natural resources agent, says barring any late frosts, Georgia should have a good peach season.

This story was originally published February 4, 2018 at 3:06 PM with the headline "UGA report: Peach farmers optimistic about 2018 crop."