Tokyo, Japan

Dear All,

Work has kept me away from updates, but we are now in mid April, and although the weather in Hakone, Japan, is very changeable (3 -20 degrees celsius in a week), my peach trees survived the freezing temps and being snow-bound. I have three peach trees, and a fruting cherry, along with apples and pears being trained espalier along two bar fences. They are all south-facing, and get about 10 hours of sun. Though young, the peach trees are blooming. They were attacked a bit by birds feeding on the flower buds, and later some received beetle damage, but enough flowers remain to make a small crop possible.

My question is - given the short season here (800 metres above sea level), what suggestions do people have in lieu of a wall behind the peaches. Eventually, given finance and planning permission, I would like to build a five foot wall for the entire 200 metre south facing border, but that is years away. Is there anything people can recommend to attach to the fence behind the peaches to store/reflect the heat and give the peaches a boost? The other requirement is that it must be aesthetically pleasing (i.e. not something highly reflective: both because it is an integral part of the garden, and because we are in a national park). I have thought about rush matting, but am hesitant with the rainy season. Any thoughts would be welcomed. Kind regards, ptarotuos

On plant Peaches

• 22 Apr, 2013