Peach Trees

Info

The peach is known as a species of Prunus that bears an edible juicy fruit. It is a deciduous tree growing to 4-10 m tall, the leaves are lanceolate, 7-15 cm long, and 2-3 cm broad. The flowers are produced in early spring before the leaves; they are solitary or paired, pink, with five petals. The fruit has yellow or whitish flesh, a delicate aroma, and a velvety skin in different cultivars.

Although its botanical name, Prunus persica, suggests the peach is native to Persia, it actually originated in China where it has been cultivated since the early days of Chinese culture. Peaches were mentioned in Chinese writings as far back as the tenth century B.C and were a favored fruit of emperors. The Persians brought the peach from China and passed it on to the Romans. The peach was brought to America by Spanish explorers in the sixteenth century and eventually made it to England and France in the seventeenth century, where it was a popular albeit rare treat.

Although Thomas Jefferson had peach trees at Monticello, United States farmers did not begin commercial production until the nineteenth century in Maryland, Delaware, Georgia and finally Virginia. Although the Southern states lead in commercial production of peaches, they are also California, Michigan, and Colorado. Today, peaches are the second largest commercial fruit crop in the States, second only to apples.

Varieties

  • Belle of Georgia

    Mid-Late Season. Large, creamy white fruit with a bright red cheek. Firm, white freestone flesh tinged with red. Highly flavored. Vigorous, reliable producer. Self-fertile tree. Very bud hardy.

  • Biscoe

    Mid-Late Season. Medium size, round, yellow fruit half covered with a bright red blush. Firm, fine textured, freestone yellow flesh. Good flavor. Vigorous and productive. Self-fertile.

  • Contender

    Mid-Late Season. Large round fruit with 70% red blush over a yellow background. Firm, yellow flesh resists browning. Freestone. Tolerant to late spring frosts. Consistent producer. Self-fertile.

  • Elberta

    Mid-Late Season. Large, yellow fruit with a crimson blush. Juicy, yellow freestone flesh. High quality. Vigorous, compact, rapid growing tree. Self-fertile.

  • Harvester

    Mid Season. Firm, highly colored, freestone fruit with yellow flesh. Fine texture is slightly acidic and of excellent quality. Self-fertile.

  • Redhaven

    Mid Season. Medium, nearly fuzzless fruit; bright all over red. Firm, yellow flesh becomes freestone as it ripens. Vigorous, strong growing, self-fertile tree bears young. Abundant fruit set; requires early thinning.

Care and Maintenance

  1. Preparing the Hole

    Dig the hole as deep as the root ball, and as much as three times as wide as the diameter of the root ball. Breaking up the soil around the tree provides the newly emerging roots room to grow into loose soil to hasten establishment.

  2. Placing Your Tree

    Place the tree carefully in the center of the hole after removing it from the container. The tree's root collar (the bulge right above the root system) should be just above the top of the soil. Don't dig the hole too deep. It is better if the root collar is slightly (1 to 2") higher than ground level because of possible setting.

  3. Filling the Hole

    Carefully fill the hole with soil when the tree is positioned and straight. Fill the hole about 1/3 full and lightly push the soil around the base of the root ball. Fill the remainder of the hole taking care to gently but firmly pack soil to eliminate air pockets that may cause the roots to dry out. Don't plant the tree too deep. Back fill the soil to the height just below the root collar.

  4. Mulching

    Place 2 to 4 inches of mulch in a 2 to 3 foot circle around the tree. Keep the mulch from touching the trunk to keep fungus from growing on the trunk. Mulch can be aged wood chips or bark. Mulch helps keep roots moist and insulates them, and prevents weed growth. It is not recommended to apply fertilizer at the time of planting.

  5. Watering

    Water the tree well as soon as you plant it. Water the tree at least once a week for the first year after planting. A slow, root-saturating, one-hour trickle once a week is recommended for a new tree. The watering schedule should be adjusted accordingly if it rains or is very dry.