Good advice on planting peach or plum trees in East Texas?

Question

I am interested in planting either a peach or plum tree, whichever is most user friendly. I only want to plant one tree. WOuld like to know which one is the easiest to produce fruit and any advice you may have based on experience on what time of year to plant the tree, keeping pests from the fruit, etc... any advice is much appreciated.

Answer 1

Contact your County Extension office for more local advice.  They will know what best grows in East Texas.

I work at my County Extension office in Southeast Arizona and we get peach questions all the time.  Here's my two  cents worth.

Many peaches are self-fruiting  which means they don't need a second tree for pollination.  Some plums do need a second pollinator.  Also, many peaches need "Chill Hours" and the hours depend on the variety.  For many peaches that's 200-400 hours of temperatures below 45F.  If the trees don't chill long enough every winter, they often don't form buds in the spring.  Does it even get that cold in East Texas?  Perhaps the Mexican Plum would be better.

There are so many varieties of peaches and plums, so do your research