Georgia has two commercial peach-growing regions. The central region is the largest with about 1.6 million peach trees and 75 percent of the state's production. The southern region produces about 30 million pounds of peaches annually.
Although Georgia is called the Peach State, it is not the country's leading producer of peaches. Still, Georgia produces over 130 million pounds of peaches each year and UGA Extension provides both farmers and home gardeners a variety of information to help have the best output with the least amount of labor possible.
Our Programs and Services
-
Lab Testing and Analysis Services Testing for soil, plant tissue, water quality, animal waste, feeds and forages, pesticides, and much more!
-
On-Site and Telephone Consultation Available in many county offices for ag producers.
-
Pesticide Safety Education Program Topics include pest identification, storage and disposal, pesticide drift and runoff prevention, water quality protection, and food safety.
-
Production Meetings Updates on local issues for growers and producers.
Recent Publications
-
San Jose Scale: A Pernicious and Persistent Pest of Peaches (C 1225) San Jose scale, Comstockaspis perniciosus (Comstock), is a pest of peaches, nectarines, plums, and other tree fruits including apples, pears, and cherries. San Jose scale is considered a secondary pes…
-
Peaches: Appropriate Harvest and Postharvest Handling (B 1555) This publication deals with appropriate maturity indices and postharvest handling for fresh-market peaches to educate producers, pickers, packers, and shippers about how to reduce peach postharvest lo…
-
Plum Curculio: An Incessant Pest of Peaches (C 1224) Plum curculio, Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst), is a key insect pest of peaches in the Southeast region of the United States. It is a snout beetle native to North America and is found east of the Rock…
-
Home & Garden Georgia Pest Management Handbook Series: Home Orchard (SB 48-05) This section of the Home & Garden Edition covers pest control in home orchards, including apples, peaches, bunch grapes, muscadines, strawberries, blueberries, and other fruits. Beginning in 2022, the…
Websites
UGA-affiliated sites
UGA Peach Blog News and timely updates on peach production in Georgia.
Peaches at UGA Resources on peach commercial and home production from planting to storing and Georgia Peach Team and Council contacts.
Sustainable Agriculture at UGA Brings together information on sustainable agriculture including organic agriculture, pollinators, and other resources.
Impact Statements: Peaches Descriptions of Extension efforts to improve knowledge and practices related to peaches.
UGA Department of Horticulture Learn more about the horticulture department at the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
UGA Department of Plant Pathology Learn more about the plant pathology department at the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
Commodity Teams at CAES Teams made up of research scientists and extension specialists work together to provide the latest technology and information for efficient, profitable production of some of Georgia's most valuable commodities.
External sites
Georgia Peach Council Peach facts, grower profiles, nutrition information, recipes and current news and events.
-
2024 Peach Season With no freezing temperatures in the forecast and hope for strong pricing during the upcoming season, peach growers are looking forward to a much-needed rebound this year.
-
Plum Curculio Among spring pests, plum curculio is the most destructive insect that attacks early-season fruit.
-
Backyard Fruits Webinar Webinar series Backyard Fruits aims to help gardeners grow fruit at home