Nectarine Trees

Although nectarines are some of the least hardy trees that we grow, the varieties that we have been growing in Western Montana have shown to be all hardy to near -30F. If someone is in an area that has the potential to experience mid-winter extreme temps lower than this, then tread carefully. Take your microclimate into consideration. For instance, in the Bitterroot Valley where we have some of our operations, the Valley witnessed -40F temps in certain areas, typically the valley floor near the river where the frost settles. Meanwhile, areas slightly higher up on a bench, sometimes just 50-100 ft. in elevation above the valley floor, escaped these frosts and experienced no colder than -30F (some just as low as -26F). These are the areas in Montana where nectarine growing (and peach, sweet cherry, etc.) is much easier. Using data from a local weather station or neighbors who tracked past test winters to decide if nectarines are suitable can prevent a lot of headaches. If using data from a local weather station, collect data from multiple areas in your area and interpolate what your site would have experienced given its topography.