Q: Please tell me what to do with peach trees this time of year. Last year our trees were loaded with peaches but as they ripened they became covered with black blotches and were wormy. How can we prevent this?

A: Your fruit were likely afflicted with peach scab (black splotches) and plum curculio (larvae in fruit).

In my experience, it is easy to grow a peach tree in Atlanta but very difficult to regularly harvest any fruit.

After a couple of years of reasonably good crops, the peaches become infested with myriad diseases and insect pests. I wish I knew an organic way to control peach problems.

The best alternative I can recommend is to follow the spray guide outlined by Georgia Extension in the Homeowner Fruit Spray Guide.