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Fresh peaches are one of the true joys of summer. With a little care, planting peach trees will not only provide tasty summer fruits but can also make for an attractive addition to your landscape. Start off with healthy young trees. At the nursery, look for plants with healthy green foliage and undamaged bark. The most important thing to do is to pick a site in your yard that has good air movement and well-drained soil. Peaches need full sun and room to grow depending on the variety. There are over 2000 varieties of peaches. You have to pick the right tree for your area. Certain trees do better in different regions of the country. The southern 2/3 of the country has the best climate for growing peaches. There are yellow and white fleshed, various colored skins. Most were developed for fruit production but there are a good number of ornamental trees used for their flowers and foliage. Pruning is very important in raising peaches. The fruit are usually produced on second year wood so you must always encourage new growth. Each winter, you want to prune about 30% of the new growth and any wood that is damaged or diseased. Most commercial peach production uses an open, vase-like form, but other pruning styles work as well. The goal for pruning is to encourage air and light penetration, cull out any damaged wood, and keep the tree from getting so big that you can't reach the peaches. The most important thing you can do to help ensure a healthy crop is to keep the area underneath the tree free of weeds and debris. One of the great things about peaches is that the trees will start producing fruit in 3-4 years, which is much sooner than other tree fruit such as apples or pears. With a little care, you too could be enjoying sweet peaches in your backyard.
Varieties of peaches discussed on the show:Elberta Queen- A large, yellow fleshed fruit great for canning or freezingSaturn- A unique doughnut shaped peach with white flesh and a freestone Early White Giant- An early, white-fleshed peach. White peaches usually are on the early side and are a little less acidic. Pink Cascade Weeping- An ornamental weeping peach 12-15 ft. tall with pink flowers in the spring Bonfire- An interesting 4-5 ft tall ornamental peach with deep red foliage and fruit and beautiful pink and red flowers in the spring. Sensation Miniature- Another miniature tree that is great for container growing yet produces full sized edible fruit.
Special Thanks: Stark Bro's Nursery
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