A peach is often defined as something attractive, exemplary, and delightful. There’s a good reason for this. Peaches (Prunus persica), native to Asia, are juicy, delicious, and uniquely tasty. However, peach tree care requires a commitment to learning how to grow peaches. Peach trees need a regular routine of feeding, pruning, and management of pests and disease.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
The peach (Prunus persica) is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, non-fuzzy varieties), nectarines.
The specific name persica refers to its widespread cultivation in Persia (modern-day Iran), from where it was transplanted to Europe and in the 16th century to the Americas. It belongs to the genus Prunus, which includes the cherry, apricot, almond, and plum, in the rose family. The peach is classified with the almond in the subgenus Amygdalus, distinguished from the other subgenera by the corrugated seed shell (endocarp). Due to their close relatedness, the kernel of a peach stone tastes remarkably similar to almond, and peach stones are often used to make a cheap version of marzipan, known as persipan.
Prunus persica trees grow up to 7 m (23 ft) tall and wide, but when pruned properly, they are usually 3–4 m (10–13 ft) tall and wide. The leaves are lanceolate, 7–16 cm (3–6+1⁄2 in) long, 2–3 cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4 in) broad, and pinnately veined. The flowers are produced in early spring before the leaves; they are solitary or paired, 2.5–3 cm diameter, pink, with five petals. The fruit has yellow or whitish flesh, a delicate aroma, and a skin that is either velvety (peaches) or smooth (nectarines) in different cultivars. The flesh is very delicate and easily bruised in some cultivars, but is fairly firm in some commercial varieties, especially when green. The single, large seed is red-brown, oval shaped, around 1.3–2 cm long, and surrounded by a wood-like husk. Peaches, along with cherries, plums, and apricots, are stone fruits (drupes). The various heirloom varieties include the ‘Indian Peach’, or ‘Indian Blood Peach’, which ripens in the latter part of the summer, and can have color ranging from red and white, to purple.
Cultivated peaches are divided into clingstones and freestones, depending on whether the flesh sticks to the stone or not; both can have either white or yellow flesh. Peaches with white flesh typically are very sweet with little acidity, while yellow-fleshed peaches typically have an acidic tang coupled with sweetness, though this also varies greatly. Both colors often have some red on their skins. Low-acid, white-fleshed peaches are the most popular kinds in China, Japan, and neighboring Asian countries, while Europeans and North Americans have historically favored the acidic, yellow-fleshed cultivars.
Peach trees are relatively short-lived as compared with some other fruit trees. In some regions orchards are replanted after 8 to 10 years, while in others trees may produce satisfactorily for 20 to 25 years or more, depending upon their resistance to diseases, pests, and winter damage.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Peach trees need full sun to grow, flower, and produce fruits. A tree grown in a shaded area will not be as healthy or as vigorous. If you don’t have a large enough location that’s full sun, it may be best not to try planting a peach.
Temperature and Humidity
Peaches like moderate temperatures and generally grow best in USDA growing zones 5a to 8a. However, you can select more cold or heat-tolerant varieties to expand the growing zone to include zones 4 and 9.
Peaches need at least 600 chilling hours at 45 degrees Fahrenheit or lower to trigger fruiting. Extended temperatures below zero may damage the trees. Peaches tolerate humid conditions, but excessive wetness can encourage fungal diseases.
Watering
Young trees should get approximately 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week. Rainfall may be enough if you live in an area with regular rain. If not, you will need to water or irrigate your peach tree. Ensure the water is soaking into the soil and not just running off the surface.
Also, make sure to water enough to make the soil moist without being saturated or squishy. A general rule of thumb is to try to keep the soil moist without allowing it to dry completely. Peach trees are pretty sensitive to drying out and will not produce fruits if they are too dry.
Soil
One of the most important things you can do to ensure a successful peach tree planting is to prepare the soil well in advance. Take the time to do this, and your newly planted tree will be off to the best start possible.
Peach trees require well-drained soil in order to grow. Any waterlogged or saturated soil will cause the plant to die. The best soil for peach trees is one where the topsoil (to approximately the top 24 inches) is sandy or loamy and very well-drained. The topsoil and the subsoil should both be rich in organic matter and relatively fertile.
Soil pH should be between 6.0 and 7.0. Peach trees will not do well in acidic soils. If your soil pH is below 6.0, you will need to add lime to help increase soil pH. Mix it well and continue soil testing until the proper pH is reached.
Mulching
After planting your peach tree, add a layer of mulch in a circle surrounding the tree but not covering the base of the tree. Avoid making a mounded pile of mulch that touches the trunk of the tree.
For mulch materials, you can use straw or hay, pine needles, leaves, grass clippings, or even compost. The mulch will help protect the newly planted tree from drying out and also help prevent weed growth around the base of the tree.
Fertilizing
You probably don’t need to fertilize your peach tree in the first year after planting or before the tree starts to produce fruit. After the first year, you should apply fertilizer each spring shortly before new leaf growth begins. Fertilize again in early summer.
Use a slow-release fertilizer formulated for fruit trees and be sure to follow the directions carefully. A peach tree in need of fertilizer will not grow well and may have discolored leaves, and ultimately won’t grow many peaches.
Planting Instructions
A dormant, bare-root peach tree should be planted in late winter. A container grown tree should go into the ground in spring. For bare root trees, soak the roots for six to twelve hours before planting.
Dig your planting hole a few inches (7.5 cm.) deeper than and twice as wide as the tree’s root ball or root system. If your tree is grafted, make sure the bud union is planted a couple inches (5 cm.) above the soil. If your tree is bare root, leave plenty of room for the roots to spread. Fill the hole half way with soil and water it well.
When it drains, check to see if the tree is still positioned correctly, then fill the rest of the hole with soil. Water again and mulch around the trunk. It’s a good idea to construct a 3- to 6-inch (7.5-15 cm.) berm of soil around the tree’s root zone to help contain water and mulch.
After planting, trim the tree back to 26 to 30 inches (66 to 76 cm.), removing its side branches. This will help your tree produce a better crop.
Pruning
It may seem strange to remove healthy branches from a thick, bushy peach tree, but proper pruning is vital for managing the fruit size and ensuring enough light is received on fruit-bearing branches. The amount of light that you allow to reach fruiting branches following pruning is important for the development of next season’s flower buds. Methods to prune a peach tree may differ from methods used for other fruit trees.
When pruning a peach tree, the finished look of the branches should have a herringbone pattern with an open center, like a vase. To achieve this, prune peach trees that have several well-spaced main branches forming a vase around an open center for sun and air. Using sterilized long-handled pruners or a pruning saw, you can also remove branches in the center of the tree that are growing downward or horizontal.
Do not prune peach trees while they are dormant which can make them less cold hardy. Ideally, prune peach trees annually just as the buds swell enough to reveal their pink color. You can, however, remove shoots developing in the center of the tree at any time.
Propagation
Weed Control
Pests and Diseases
Unfortunately, peach trees are susceptible to several pests and diseases. Carefully examine your tree on a regular basis to catch any potential problems early. Identify the situation as best you can and treat it promptly for the best results.
A simple method to help reduce pests and diseases is to clear out fallen fruits and leaves at the end of each season, reducing areas for pests and diseases to overwinter. Giving your plant ideal growing conditions will also help keep it healthy and robust.
Common Pests
There are several pests that can damage peach trees that range from tiny worms to birds or small animals. Prevention is the best way to keep your peaches safe.
A wire fence can keep larger pests from wandering in. A deterrent spray can keep the smaller bugs from getting too close. Predatory insects are also a good idea to incorporate into the garden.
Birds and Small Mammals
These are the most apparent pests that will nibble on peaches as they ripen. Other pests are smaller and less noticeable but can cause severe damage.
Using a fence, chicken wire, or another barrier can keep these unwanted creatures from eating the fruit you were reserving for yourself. Be sure to harvest fruit as soon as it is ripe, before these little guys can get to it!
Peach Tree Borers
These are the larvae of a moth. They burrow into the lower trunk and larger branches. Sap will ooze from these holes and weaken the trees. Peach tree borers can be controlled with insecticides, but only if treated preventatively.
Insecticides will work to prevent eggs from hatching, but once larvae have burrowed into the trunk, there isn’t much to be done to prevent their damage.
Oriental Fruit Moths
Larvae are tiny caterpillars that burrow into fruits. These can be somewhat controlled with insecticides. A more effective control method is a pheromone trap that attracts mating adults and prevents them from laying eggs on the fruits.
Tent Caterpillars and Webworms
Pesky tent caterpillars build silky nests that incorporate leaves and branches of peach trees. The caterpillars eat the leaves. Physically removing the nests is the best control. They are most active in the late spring and into early summer.
Thankfully, if the population is controlled early enough, the tree can be saved. Introducing predatory wasps can help reduce the number of caterpillars in the garden.
Common Diseases
Peaches are susceptible to various damaging diseases including bacterial spot, powdery mildew, and peach leaf curl. Manage diseases by planting disease-resistant peach varieties and practicing good hygiene in the garden, such as pruning and cleaning up garden debris.
Bacterial Spot
Bacterial spot is a fungal disease. It can develop on both young seedlings and on fully grown trees. It thrives in warm, humid environments.
When infected, leaves become covered with small brown spots. These spots will eventually turn yellow, causing the leaf to die. This disease can be treated with fungicides.
Peach Leaf Curl
This is a fungal disease caused by Taphrina deformans. It affects the flowers, leaves, and fruit. Peach leaf curl is one of the most common diseases for home gardeners growing peach trees.
Leaves appear curled and deformed, with reddish areas developing on new leaves. Planting disease-resistant varieties is the best way to avoid this disease. This is one of the few issues that impact peach trees more than other fruiting trees, like apple trees.
Powdery Mildew
This is a fairly common disease that is caused by too much moisture, or improper watering methods. It is identified as grayish-white spots or coating on leaves and fruits.
It can be treated with fungicide, but it is also best to remove infected leaves and fruit from the tree. Water plants from underneath, preferably with an irrigation system or soaker hose.
III. Uses and Benefits
When you think of peach trees, the first thing you may think of is peaches. Growing fruits is probably the most common reason someone would want to plant a peach tree. But there are more reasons than that.
Peach trees produce beautiful flowers in the spring, giving them value as ornamental trees. Peach trees also provide a bit of shade and are impressive trees to add to the landscape.
The flowers attract pollinators, and the fruits and branches of the tree attract wildlife, providing food and shelter.
IV. Harvesting and Storage
A peach tree grown from seed can typically bear fruit in their third or fourth year after planting. A nursery-grown tree will produce fruit more quickly because it’s already a year or two old. Don’t worry if your tree loses some of its fruits before they ripen; this is a natural process that allows the tree to self-thin some of the fruits that it may not be able to support.
After watching your peaches grow for several months, you may start to feel impatient to pick them. How will you know when your peaches are ready to harvest?
- There is no more green coloration
- They are bright yellow-orange
- They can be picked easily with just a slight twist at the stem
Be very careful when harvesting peaches. The fruits are delicate and bruise easily. Do not grab and pull on the peaches, as this can damage both the fruits and the branches. Gently twisting where the stem meets the branch should be enough to release the fruit.
V. Types of Peach Trees
There are hundreds of peach cultivars to choose from. While peach trees can produce clingstone or freestone fruits, most varieties sold for home gardens are freestone. You can also choose between yellow or white flesh and early or late-bearing peach trees.
- ‘Halehaven’ is a very sweet midseason variety. Even the skin is said to be sweet, and the trees are vigorous.
- ‘Carolina Belle’ produces large-sized, freestone, creamy white fruit that ripens from July to August.
- ‘Reliance’ is an early-season producer good for colder growing zones.
- ‘Contender’ is a cold-tolerant variety that produces medium-sized, freestone, red fruit that is non-browning.
- ‘Galaxy’ and ‘Saturn’ are both donut-shaped peaches that have sweet white flesh.
- ‘Bonanza’ is a dwarf peach tree that only reaches six feet tall but produces full-sized fruit.
