White Plus 5 in 1 peach skin
Botanical Name Prunus persica Mmmm … Peaches picked at their peak are pure
perfection! Here’s how to plant, grow, and harvest peaches at the right time. Plus, we have some delicious peach recipes to try with your bounty! To grow peaches, the trick is to choose a type that will fit with your climate. Peach trees can be grown in USDA Zones 4 to 10, but do especially well in Zones 6 to 8. If you live in one of these latter zones, you can focus on choosing a variety based on its flavor and harvest-time. If
you live in colder regions, there are some varieties that are more cold tolerant that you should choose instead. Planting For the best fruit production, peach trees should be planted in an area that receives full sun all day long. Morning sun is especially crucial because it helps to dry morning dew off the fruit and keeps it from rotting. Be sure to avoid planting in low areas, too, as cold air and frost can more easily settle there and affect the
quality of your peaches. Choose a site with well-drained, moderately fertile soil. Peach trees won’t do well in areas where soil is compacted or remains constantly wet. Soil pH should be on the slightly-acidic side, between 6 and 6.5. Check out our video to learn more about how to plant a bare–rooted fruit tree. An Alternative Planting MethodIf your circumstances are suitable, you might want to try a technique practiced in England. It involves planting a peach tree—ideally a dwarf variety—on the south side of the home (or other structure), directly under the eaves. Over time, the gardener prunes and trains the peach tree to espalier in a fan-shape against or very near to the wall of the house. Plastic sheeting is attached to the eaves and draped to cover but not touch the tree, similar to a lean-to tent. This keeps the tree dry in winter, and the tree enjoys the warmth of the sun—directly and reflected off the house—year round. The plastic should be opened or lifted during bloom time to welcome pollinating insects, and on hot, sunny days to ventilate the tree and prevent foliage burn. Growing
Fertilizing
Pruning Peach TreesPeach pruning should NOT be avoided. If left unpruned, peach trees weaken, may become diseased, and bear less fruit year after year. Peaches bloom and bear fruit on second-year wood; therefore, the trees need to make good growth each spring and summer to insure a crop for the next year. Each winter, a large number of red 18- to 24-inch shoots need to be present as fruiting wood. If the trees are not pruned annually, the fruiting shoots move higher and higher, becoming out of reach. Alternate-year pruning results in excessive growth the year following heavy pruning, so annual, moderate pruning is essential for the long-term control of tree vigor and fruiting wood.
Recommended Varieties
Harvesting
How to Store Peaches
Wit and Wisdom
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