WGME interviews Moran about growing peaches in Maine
WGME (Channel 13 in Portland) spoke with Renae Moran, an associate professor of pomology at the University of Maine and a fruit tree specialist with UMaine Cooperative Extension, for a report about growing peaches in Maine. While it has been a good year for Maine peach growers, many varieties don’t handle the winters very well, according to the report. Moran grows peaches in experiments at UMaine’s Highmoor Farm in Monmouth, where she aims to create a better cross-hybrid peach tree, the report states. “The ultimate goal of this project is to develop new varieties that are both tasty and cold-hardy enough to thrive in Maine,” Moran said. She added that fruit thinning is one of the most important parts of peach care since it keeps the branches from getting too heavy and breaking. It also encourages bigger fruit size, better fruit taste, and greater winter survival, WGME reported. Peach trees may take several years to bear fruit, but a single fruiting tree can be enough for a family. “To get the best-tasting peaches, you really have to grow them yourselves and ripen them on the tree,” Moran said.