If you do end up purchasing a young tree, look for a dormant one with few to no leaves. These are best purchased between fall and early spring. If you try to plant an active tree with green leaves and full branches, it may put too much strain on the tree, and it is likelier that the tree will fail. As for using a peach seed, make sure it comes from a delicious, juicy peach, so your future peaches have the traits of “their mother” (although you should keep in mind that there is no guarantee that it will share these traits). When you find a tasty peach, set out the pit to dry for a few days. When it’s brittle, crack it open to reveal the seeds – they’ll look like almonds.
And if you’re looking for a smaller variety that you can grow on your deck or patio in a pot, “Pix-Zee” and “Honey Babe” are good choices. They only reach about 6 feet (1. 8 m) tall. [3] X Research source
Look for a spot that has well-drained, sandy, moderately fertile soil, is elevated to give your tree proper airflow (and to reduce the risk of frost) and, as mentioned above, will also provide direct sunlight the majority of the year.
Go 12 inches (30. 5 cm) deep into the soil for the best support for the peach tree’s roots. Spread the roots away from the base of the tree, but be careful not to bend them.
If the pH of the soil is too low (you want the pH to be around 6. 0-7. 0), mix a few limes into the soil. [6] X Research source
If you have a grafted tree, position the inside of the curve of the graft union away from the sun. [7] X Research source
Apart from this, to take care of weeds and nutrition, an organic mulch will likely do the trick. Just make a circle of mulch over the root zone that’s a couple of inches (5cm) deep and 3 feet (0. 91 m) (1m) or so in diameter. [8] X Research source With the right amount of rainfall, you can literally just sit back and watch your tree grow.
To keep rodents at bay, you can surround the tree with a cylinder of mesh hardware cloth. Use a lime-sulfur spray to raise your tree’s chances against peach leaf curl, the most common disease culprit.
After the third year when the tree is mature, add 1 pound of actual nitrogen to the soil. This is best done in the spring. To make your tree hardier, don’t fertilize it within 2 months of the first frost or when the fruits are maturing. [10] X Research source
A year from then, again in summer, prune any shoots growing below these main branches. From then on, remove any shoots in the center of the tree to help it keep its shape. Prune the tree in late winter or early spring to shape the tree. Cut off any branches that are rubbing against others as well as any that might be growing up into the open center of the tree. Pruning annually encourages production, not diminishes it. It encourages new growth, allocating more resources to the parts of the tree you want growing. You’ll get 10 to 18 inches of new growth each season. [11] X Research source
You always want an “open canopy” for your fruit. Try to have every branch have access to plenty of sunlight. Remove dead, dying, and crossing branches and blooms to give your fruit the best chance.
Peaches are notorious for bruising easily, so be careful when you pick them. They can store in a resealable bag in the fridge for up to 5 days. [12] X Research source Or, of course, you could make peach jam.
