Peach Buds

Question

I live in Northern Florida. My new (6-8′) peach tree that I planted four months ago produced several peach buds and abundant flowers. After the buds swelled to the approximate size of a small egg, they shriveled. The leaves look healthy. We had a few evenings of frost and a period of drought. Do you think it could have been either of those conditions or is my tree diseased? Thanks.

Answer 1

Yes, it could have been the frost. The flowers and fruit on a tree are far more susceptible to frost damage than leaves. It may also have been poor pollination or insufficient chilling. Both of these can also cause this to happen.