How to Take Care of a Peach Tree

Overview

Growing peaches is easier than you may think. Stephen's Rareripe, a disease-free white peach, and Elberta, one of the most popular yellow peach varieties, both ripen in September. If you want a fruit tree that will consistently give you a bounty at harvest time, look no further.

Step 1

Choose a peach tree that is well-suited to your climate. There are many varieties that do better in cooler weather than warmer weather and vice versa.

Step 2

Test your soil's pH. Peach trees do best in soil with a pH of 6.5. If your soil is too acidic, add lime. Be sure to work the lime into a wide area, about a 12-foot diameter, where you want to plant the peach tree. Work the lime into a depth of about 10 inches to ensure it gets to the tree's roots.

Step 3

Plant your peach tree in an area with full sun exposure and away from walls or fences. If your area experiences freezing temperatures, you may plant the peach tree near a wall or fence so the tree can maintain heat. Dig a hole deep enough to accommodate the tree's roots--about 2 to 3 feet deep.

Step 4

Add 1 cup of 10-10-10 water-soluble fertilizer twice a year to the ground around the peach tree. Add 1 cup in spring after the last frost and another cup in the fall before the first frost.

Step 5

Prune your peach tree each spring. Cut off any damaged or diseased branches and any branches that are growing vertically.

Step 6

Thin the fruit on the tree. Once the fruit has begun forming but is no larger than a marble, pull off the smallest fruit and any malformed fruit. The peaches should be about 10 inches apart. This allows for the maximum growth of each peach.

Step 7

Water your peach tree two or three times a week for about 10 minutes per watering. Avoid over watering--it can drown the roots.