Fewer Peaches This Season Despite National Peach Month
ANTHONY, New Mexico (KVIA)-- August is National Peach Month, but local growers and shoppers may have noticed a shortage of peaches this season. Experts say that although the region has seen more rainfall this year compared to previous seasons, it still isn’t enough to deeply water the roots of peach trees.
"Peaches can be a little bit tricky to grow in this area, but it's definitely doable," said Creosote Huseby, propagation manager at Sierra Vista Growers.
While peaches are traditionally considered a summer crop, some varieties continue to ripen into early fall. However, the key to growing healthy peach trees and fruit trees in general starts with the soil.
"I usually like to recommend people dig the hole they're going to put the tree in, fill it with water, and watch to see how the drainage works," Huseby said. "If it drains really, really quick, you have sandy soil."
Sandy soil can pose challenges, as it doesn't retain nutrients or moisture well. Huseby noted that sandy or clay soils are common throughout the region.
"So, kind of same deal with that," he said of clay soil. "You want to amend the soil with compost and sometimes some sandy material to help the water drain away quicker."
If peaches are proving difficult to grow, Huseby recommends trying fruit trees better suited for the desert climate.
"One of my favorites to grow in this area would be pomegranates," he said. "They're not native, but they are native to the Mediterranean, which has a fairly similar climate." Sierra Vista Growers is open seven days a week to help with all planting needs.
