Have "Edward's Ambrosia," white flesh freestone, peach tree. This is it's second summer in the ground. It grew very vigorously and appears quite healthy. The fruit have a mealy texture increasing towrd the pit. The taste is not good and becomes inedible closer to the pit.

Burbank, CA is USDA zone 10 and Sunset zone 20. The summers are hot, espcially the current one. Desert like. Weeks near 100 F. Orchard has eight inches of chipped wood mulch and has adequate irrigation. Soil test (simple home type) indicates pH, P and K OK. A bit shy on the N.

Organic culture. No sprays or insecticides of any kind have been used in the three years I've owned the property. Only pure organic fertilizers such as blood and bone meal have been used. It's suburban land and I have no idea what the former owner may have done to the soil. The house and yard constituted the mother of all fixer upppers so maybe bad things happened to the soil.

Another peach tree "Midpride," yellow freestone, 3 years in the ground, ripening before major heat, exhibited same symptoms. "Eva's Pride," yellow freestone, three years in the ground, early ripener before heat, exhibited very reduced, somewhat similar symptoms but was at least edible if picked before it got soft.

All three peach trees show the growing tips, 4 inches or so, wilting and browning in the heat. Then new growth begins just below. But overall the trees look healthy and grow like gangbusters.

"Panamint" necatarine tree within 20 feet produces good fruit.

Apples, plums, apricots and avocados all producing good fruit in the same yard.

Any ideas why I'm not getting good peaches?

juniorpilot01-rubberband@yahoo.com