How to grow Peach

Prunus persica · peach tree

A stone-fruit tree grown for its juicy fruits, ripening from mid-July into September by cultivar. It is among the first trees to bloom, so a late spring frost can take the crop; most cultivars are self-fruitful.

Quick facts

Type	Fruit tree
Family	Rosaceae
Light	Full sun
Soil pH	6–6.5
Frost	tolerates light frost
Sowing to harvest	1095 days
Where it grows	Open ground

When to plant

Planted as a young plant from a nursery while it is dormant — in early spring before the buds open, or in autumn after leaf fall.

Harvest from July to September (northern hemisphere).

Care

Open ground

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 7 days	—	nitrogen, at the start of the stage
Flowering	every 7 days	—	—
Fruiting	every 7 days	—	—
Harvest	every 7 days	—	—
Winter rest	—	—	—

Growing notes

Light

Full sun, at least 8 hours a day, with no shade from buildings or tall trees.

Soil

Well-drained soil, ideally a sandy loam, with a pH of about 6–6.5.

Care

Plant in early spring or autumn. Water established trees every 7–14 days so the water reaches 45–60 cm deep, and give young trees a nitrogen feed in early spring before the leaves open, never after mid-July. Prune every year in the dormant season, usually February or March, keeping the centre open. Thin the fruits to one every 15–20 cm.

How to tell it is ripe

The ground colour, the skin without red blush, has lost its green tinge and turned yellow.
The fruit is fully coloured; the red blush alone does not show ripeness.
Press gently near the stalk: the flesh there feels soft.
Cup the peach and lift it: a ripe one comes away easily.
Cup the fruit in your palm and lift it gently, and check the tree every few days because a peach tree often takes three to five pickings.

Pests and diseases of Peach

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.