Peach

About Peach

Peach trees grow fast, bear young and are self-fruitful, so one tree is enough. Their early blossoms are the weak spot: a late spring freeze is the biggest threat to the crop.

NC State lists zones 5-9. Varieties range from low chill (under 600 hours below 45 F) to very high chill (over 900 hours) (UGA); pick one that matches your winter, and choose a site with good air drainage to dodge late frosts.

When to plant

Timing is counted from your average last spring frost (and first fall frost). Sow & Tell works out the actual dates for your ZIP code.

• Set out plants: up to 6 weeks before the last frost

Plant dormant trees in late winter (February to early March in Oklahoma; December to February in Georgia) and do not let the roots dry out or freeze. Peaches begin bearing in the third year and reach full production by year five (Oklahoma State).

Soil

Moist but well-drained soil; peaches do poorly where water stands.

Test the soil before planting and aim for a pH of 6 to 6.5; work in any lime, phosphorus or potassium the test calls for before planting, but no nitrogen.

Feeding

• First year: about a month after planting (in the South, wait until March for trees planted in winter): balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 12-12-12. Missouri suggests 1/2 cup of 12-12-12 in a circle about 6 inches from the trunk; Georgia uses 1 lb of 10-10-10 per tree in March, spread evenly a few inches away from the trunk.
• First year in the South: May and again in July: nitrogen fertilizer such as calcium nitrate. Georgia suggests about 1 lb per tree each time, spread evenly around the tree away from the trunk.
• Each early spring from the second year on, before growth begins: balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 12-12-12. Follow a soil test; Missouri suggests about 1 lb of 12-12-12 per year of tree age (up to about 5 lb for bearing trees), spread under the drip line.

Do not fertilize in late summer or early fall, which leaves trees open to frost cracking, and do not plant too deep.

Harvest

Pick when the fruit is firm with a yellow (or cream, for white-fleshed types) background color and a strong aroma; sugar does not increase after picking. Thin fruitlets to one every 6-8 inches when they are about an inch across.

Each peach tree gives one crop a year; depending on variety, fruit ripens anywhere from early May to early September in Georgia, so planting early and late varieties spreads out the harvest. Thin fruitlets to one every 6-8 inches for good size.

Varieties (51)

Pests to watch for

Aphids, Stink bugs, Tarnished plant bug, Root-knot nematodes, Eriophyid mites (rust, bud, blister and gall mites), Katydids, Annual cicadas (dog-day cicadas), Boxelder bugs, Opossum, Raccoon, Ground squirrels, Granulate ambrosia beetle, Obliquebanded leafroller, European red mite, Plum curculio, Oriental fruit moth, Peachtree borer, Scale insects, Strawberry sap beetle, Spotted lanternfly, Rose chafer, Eastern tent caterpillar, Green June beetle (fig-eater), Leaffooted bugs

Diseases and problems

Brown rot, Bacterial spot, Peach leaf curl, Peach scab, Nitrogen deficiency, Crown gall, Bacterial canker, Sunscald, Herbicide injury, Armillaria root rot, Gray mold (Botrytis), Tomato and tobacco ringspot

In the kitchen

Eaten fresh, baked, canned, frozen or made into preserves.

Keeping it: Ripen firm peaches in a loosely closed paper bag at room temperature, then refrigerate ripe ones and use them within 3 to 5 days.

Safety: The seeds inside the pit contain cyanide-forming compounds. Swallowing a pit or two whole will not cause poisoning, but crushed pits or chewed seeds are more dangerous, so do not blend unpitted fruit into smoothies (NC State).

Pets: Toxic to dogs, cats and horses (ASPCA plant lists; peach is grouped with plum, apricot and cherry, whose leaves, stems and seeds contain cyanogenic glycosides)