Pruning organic peach trees

The trees have been dormant, but we’ve been busy…

Aloha Organic Fruit’s goal to offer you a wider selection of delicious Palisade fruit grown organically is coming to “fruition”

 

Land ready for planting cherries
Cleared land ready for planting peaches & nectarines
  • We leased 6 acres. We’ll plant white and red cherries to augment the existing peach orchard.
  • We’re planting 4 new varieties of peaches where old peach trees were pulled out, so we’ll have more ripe peaches throughout a longer season.
  • New installation of heaters will help protect our orchards during spring frosts.
Pruning organically grown peach trees
Slow work – the art of pruning 4000 peach trees

 

What happens fall – winter – spring?

Peach trees need care year ’round to thrive. In fall after harvest, we spread compost throughout the orchard. Pruning trees begins in December. Snowmelt waters in the nutrients and gives the trees what they need to form buds. To control bugs we confuse them by hanging pheremone mating disruptors in the trees. By April, rows of heaters are standing ready to protect the vulnerable trees during spring frosts.

Growing organic peaches in Palisade Colorado
To control bugs, using mating distruptors is more work, but growing organic is what we want to do

 

April… the scary month

Growing peaches organically is challenging, then factor in weather. This winter is the coldest on record since 1988. April is known for volatile temperatures, and when it is windy, heaters and wind machines aren’t very effective. Peach blossoms are ready to pop – keep your fingers crossed for a good crop!

 

Upcoming Palisade events

Palisade International Honeybee Festival – April 12-13

Spring thaw mud on the farm
Yech! Dealing with spring thaw mud on the farm

Friday: Blue Pig Gallery hosts bee-themed show, demos, mead (honey wine) tasting.
Saturday: A hive of activity for entire family downtown on the Town Plaza: Bee dancers, Spelling Bee, food & vendor booths, demos, speakers. Meadery tours, free Bee Bus.

Honeybee Fest info

 

Aloha Farm Store opens mid-June

Aloha Organic Fruit

heaters in the orchard protect tender peach blossoms
Heaters protect tender peach blossoms from frost

Growers of Outstanding Organic Palisade Peaches in a Natural Environment

3525 G Road – Palisade, CO 81526

Open daily 10-5

Mid-June – early October

alohaorganicfruit.com
970-464-2272