What is the story about?
Climate
change is reshaping how, and whether, peaches can be grown reliably in Georgia and South Carolina. Warmer winters, earlier blooms, and volatile cold snaps are creating a difficult new reality for growers.
- Peach trees are blooming earlier. In South Carolina, flowering has moved up by roughly one to two weeks over the last 40 years; one Clemson research orchard recorded an average advance of seven to 10 days.
- A warmer winter can still end in a crop-killing freeze. Earlier blooms leave delicate flowers and developing fruit exposed when late-season cold arrives, including polar-vortex-driven freezes.
- Trees are getting less of the winter cold they need. Parts of Georgia have lost an average of 130 annual “chill hours” over 50 years. Peach trees use time spent at 32-45 degrees to break dormancy and produce normally.
- Heat and drought damage fruit beyond what consumers see. Extreme heat can cause wilting and sunburned foliage and fruit, while also restricting photosynthesis. Water-stressed trees may produce smaller peaches, drop fruit early, and become more vulnerable to pests and disease.
- The industry is adapting, but it comes with costs. Growers are moving toward lower-chill varieties, planting several varieties to spread risk and, in some cases, investing in frost-protection equipment such as wind machines. Breeders are also developing peaches that need less winter cold but require more heat before blooming.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Climate change threatens peach harvests in Georgia. 5 things to know.
