Subtropical Peach Defoliation and Chill Hours

Proper foliage management is a key factor in having a healthy peach orchard and producing high-quality fruit. However, this is not an easy task for Florida growers. The warm and humid climate throughout Florida’s growing season makes it difficult to keep peach leaf rust and bacterial spot under control, which could cause premature defoliation. On the other hand, leaves tend to stay attached to the tree well into late fall, when they should start senescing and dropping to allow sufficient accumulation of chilling, a process required for buds to break the dormant status and bloom in the next season. Understanding dormancy and preparing trees for this stage is critical in subtropical peach orchards. In this publication, we will discuss peach defoliation practices for peach trees growing under the subtropical climate of Florida to provide information to county and state Extension faculty, growers, and homeowners interested in peach production in Florida.