Peach
Can I Grow Contender?
Contender combines exceptional cold-hardiness with superior flavor — a freestone peach that survives harsh winters and delivers on taste. It's the top choice for northern peach growers.
Growing Requirements
Chill Hours
1050
Hardiness Zones
4-5-6-7-8
Harvest
Mid-August
Pollination
Self-fertile
Results
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About Contender
Contender combines exceptional cold-hardiness with superior flavor — a freestone peach that survives harsh winters and delivers on taste. It's the top choice for northern peach growers.
Contender requires 1050 chill hours — the number of hours between 32°F and 45°F during winter dormancy. Without enough chill, the tree may fail to flower properly or produce poor fruit.
⚠️ Common Challenges
Very high chill requirement limits it to cold-winter regions; late bloom can still get hit by spring frosts.
❌ Common Misconception
Can I grow Contender in Zone 9 or warmer?
No. While Contender is listed for zones 4-8, it requires 1050 chill hours to produce fruit. Warm zones like 9+ typically receive only 200-400 chill hours. The tree may survive but will not fruit reliably. Consider low-chill alternatives like Anna apple (200h) or Tropic Snow peach (200h) instead.
Other Peach Varieties
Plan Your Orchard
Log pruning, spraying, and harvests. See what you did last season. All your trees in one place.
Start Tracking Free →Chill hour data from Open-Meteo Historical Weather API. Variety information compiled from university extension services.