Peach and Cherry planted in Massachusetts

[farmbif]

Looking for advice. I planted 250 peach and 50 cherry trees on a rocky hill in southeast massachusetts two and a half years ago and I am only able to visit the property for short periods of time each year. after the first year I revisited in early spring when buds were just developing and found that only about 50 peach trees and one cherry had survived. All the peach stock had died back to just above the graft. before leaving I hit each with a couple pounds of 12-12-12. from what i understand it has been a wet summer, last years summer was dry and that is probably why such a high mortality rate. The property is an old family farm that i have rights to and a year ago my not so loving brother burned down a cabin I had put together 10 years ago. so i am not able to stay there any longer and i live 1500 miles away. Should I just forget about this planting and replant when I build there after daughter finishes high school. or what can i do to help the living trees. In the past ten years i have planted 350 blueberry bushes that are doing well, 250 table grape vines of which 200 are doing well, and there are about 200 apple trees that need a lot of attention.

 

[ms310]

not an arborist but, i have found that if you want the trees to take off and grow....Prune them