How to grow peach tree fruit at home

Growing Peach trees in the home garden is an old favourite.   Apart from citrus, Peaches and Nectarines are one of the most popular home garden fruiting trees.    They are not difficult to grow, but selection of the right variety for your climate is important.  Selecting the right variety will give you the best fruit and avoid pest issues.   Most Peach and Nectarine trees only grow to around 4 to 5 mtrs tall, which makes them easy to fit into the average suburban backyard.   Dwarf varieties have become very popluar in recent years and there are varieties that only grow to around 1m tall.  Multi-grafted trees are also popular,  they provide a number of different varieties of peaches or nectarines on the one tree.   Peach and Nectarine trees themselves are reasonably attractive with bushy green growth, and they have beautiful flowers in spring.   The flowers are similar to the cheery blossom.   Peaches and Nectarines go dormant in winter, however the leaf drop is not substantial.   

 Most varieties are self pollinating and fruiting is prolific, with most varieties, fruit is ready in late spring or early summer.    Peaches and Nectarines require a winter climate that gives enough "Chilling period" for flowers to develop.   "Chilling period" is the duration of cold temperates,  for a given period.    There are varieties of Peach and Nectarines that will grown in subtropical areas with the right micro climate (Eg. a niche that provides enough winter cold).    The majority of varieties grow in temperate and cool temperate regions.  The major pests of Peaches and Nectarines are fruit fly and various fungus problems.   Both of these problems can be treated correctly using the right treatments.

How to prepare the ground for planting Peach trees

Peaches and Nectarines prefer a well drained, rich soil.   The best soils for Peaches are loans with added organic matter.   Peaches will also grow well in sandy soils, with added organic matter. If you have a heavy soil or a clay soil, you may like to add some Gypsum to help break up the clay.  Gypsum can be used a number of times to assist in the break up of clay.   It is best dug in, however it can also be scratched into the surface, and the Gypsum will work its way in with the action of moisture.  The addition of animal manures to your ground preparation will assist in the growth of a strong tree and good fruiting.  Cow, Sheep and to a lesser extent Chicken manure can be used to improve the soil and provide slow release nurtrients.   Blood and bone can also be used and is an excellent soil improver,  increasing soil fertility and activity. 

Click Here for more details

How to plant a Peach or Nectarine tree at home

When you purchase your tree from your local nursery it will be either in a pot or bare-rooted (Note, bare-rooted means that the tree roots have no soil around them).    Bare-rooted trees are only available for as short period in the winter months.  If you are purchasing a bare-rooted tree make sure that the root system has been carefully pruned.    Ragged cuts will not help develop a good root system, so give a light prune to the roots if this is the case.  If your Peach or Nectarine is bagged or in a pot, you can plant it directly into the ground at any time of year.  

 Either bagged or bare-rooted, it is very important to stake your trees, around three tree stakes are normally used, with the tree tied in the centre.    Even using a single stake is better then not staking your trees.    Unstaked trees move in the wind and the root system can become weeak as a result.  Backfill around your tree and water in well.  Placing some straw around your tree will help prevent weeds and also a good mulch like straw, will help conserve water.  

Click Here for more details

How to espalier a Peach or Nectarine tree at home

Espalier Peach and Nectarine trees have been grown in trellis or espalier form for centuries.  The tree is grown on a trellis made from wires or a lattice work.   There is nothing particularly unusual about the tree which makes espalier possible, it all comes down to the pruning technique.   You must start the tree early in its growth to spread the stems and develop lateral growth.  The tree is basically tied into positon and the branches are wound and tied to the trellis.  The trick is then to remove any branches that go wayward and keep the plant to the shape you want.  Pruning can occur in winter and after fruiting.   With Peaches and Nectarines fruiting occurs on last years wood, so this means that if you prune too hard in winter you could prune off most your your fruiting wood.   You can usually can tell fruiting wood as in late winter, it will develop large buds close to the ends of your stems, this is your fruiting wood. 

Click Here for more details