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Associated Press - January 20, 2010 10:24 AM ET
FORT VALLEY, Ga. (AP) - Georgia peach growers, who say they haven't been getting enough cold weather in recent winters, say the crop got a boost from the recent frigid weather.
Still, the growers say there's reason for concern, especially if the weather warms up and turns cold again.
Al Pearson, chairman of the Georgia Peach Commission, told the Telegraph this winter's cold weather and rainfall have been good for peaches.
He says buds go dormant during the winter to protect them from hard freezes. Once they get sufficient chill hours, a few warm days can make them susceptible to returning cold weather.
Most peach varieties require more than 1,000 hours during the winter with temperatures below 45 degrees. Georgia's climatologist reports chill-hours are already over 800 in parts of middle and south Georgia.
Information from: The Macon Telegraph, http://www.macontelegraph.com
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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