DATE:   8/14/97
WRITER: Bob Polomski, (864) 656-2604

Fruit from Seed-Grown Peach Trees

     Q:   We have a couple of young peach trees that I started
from seed. They were taken from delicious white-fleshed peaches. 
Do they reproduce true from seed or am I wasting my 
time with a bunch of oddball hybrids?  
     A:   To produce fruit identical to those that you've eaten,
you will have to find the parent and propagate it by budding,
grafting, or rooting cuttings. However, don't cut your peach
trees down immediately. Peaches are quick to bear, and there's a
high probability that the fruit produced by your seed-grown trees
will yield fruit that is pretty tasty.
Preventing Bell Pepper Blossom Drop
     Q:   I got my bell peppers planted late this year, and have
noticed that they have hardly produced any fruit. Tiny peppers
form but fall off before they even reach the size of a marble.
What do you think happened? What can I do to get peppers? 
     A:   Bell peppers generally will not flower or form mature
fruits when nighttime temperatures exceed 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Your situation should improve as the weather cools. Night
temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees are ideal.
     Excessive fertilization can also lead to blossom drop. High 
nutrient levels, particularly of nitrogen, result in excessive 
vegetative growth at the expense of reproductive growth.
     Peppers are considered moderate feeders, requiring a small
amount of fertilizer at planting and a light side-dressing of
fertilizer after the first fruits have set.
     Follow the results of a soil test before liming or
fertilizing your garden. Peppers require a well-drained soil with
a soil pH between 6.0 and 6.8.
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     If you have gardening questions or comments, write to
Agricultural News and Publications, A-101 Poole Agricultural
Center, Box 340311, Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. 29634-0311.
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