Shared on behalf of Ali Sarkhosh, Ph.D., Assistant Professor & Extension Specialist
Email: [log in to unmask]
Phone: 352-273-4788
I just wanted to give you a heads up to be prepared to defoliate your peach trees either in last week of November or the first week of December.
A common peach tree defoliation method uses a tank mixed spray of Zinc sulfate with a concentration of up to 15 percent (15lb of Zinc sulfate per 100gal of water).
Using a zinc spray will also help correct a common issue of zinc deficiency in peach trees growing in sandier soils. Using an air blast sprayer is a very effective delivery system, especially for larger orchards. On a small scale of just a few trees in a backyard, defoliation by hand would also be very effective.
For more information about peach production in FL, you could visit the following links:
https://hos.ifas.ufl.edu/stonefruit/
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_a-sarkhosha
https://www.facebook.com/stonefruitUFIFAS/
Please let me know if you need more information or any help.
Let’s hope for having a good season for FL peaches!
Dr. Tatiana Sanchez, Commercial Horticulture Agent
UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County
106 SW 140th Terrace, Suite 3
Jonesville, FL 32669
352-955-2402
