Farmers report Illinois peaches survive late-season freeze

ALTO PASS, Ill. (AP) - Peach farmers in Illinois say the state's crop will make it through the fickle spring weather.

The Southern Illinoisan in Carbondale reports (http://bit.ly/2mNO9cx ) the delicate fruit survived early-season freezing temperatures.

Wayne Sirles is president of Rendleman Orchards. He says he was surprised to see the peaches make it through the cold which followed an unseasonably warm February in southern Illinois.

Peach buds began sprouting two weeks ago in the sunshine. That was too early. Temperatures that followed fell as low as 17 degrees (-8 Celsius).

Many blooms did succumb. But Sirles says a good crop is still possible with only one in ten blooms struggling through.

Too many peaches per tree reduce the size of each peach.

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Information from: Southern Illinoisan, http://www.southernillinoisan.com