Growing Peach Trees
Posted on March 1, 2009, by Austin Thomas, under Gardening.
It is useful to have the tree planted in a lawn because then sheets or clothes can be laid under the tree on to which the fruit can drop when fully ripe.
It is important to mulch where the drainage is perfect, because one cannot water once the fruit is set or split stones result. Those who dislike straw mulching, or grassing down, do so because it increases the frost risk. It is curious the way that damage can be done to peaches early in May by frosts, though the peaches normally flower early in April.
Bushes have been grown in large tubs or pots in a cold greenhouse so as to get fruits of good quality which are easy to pick.
Opinions differ greatly as to whether it is better in this country to grow trees on their own roots, on peach stocks or on plum stocks. The latter were, of course, used for many years by the nurseryman for trained trees which were to be planted in greenhouses. It is said that the Brompton Stock produces the largest tree whereas the Common Mussel Stock produces a much smaller tree. The truth is that we don’t know enough about stocks at the moment, especially as different varieties undoubtedly behave differently on the various stocks mentioned.
If a fan-shaped tree is to be planted against a wall or a fence, the base of the tree should purposely be planted 6 inches away from the wall and the half-circular hole dug out to a depth of 8 inches should be arranged so that the bulk of the roots can be spaced out properly. Should it be necessary to cut back some of the broken roots, the cut should be at an angle of 60 degrees, facing upwards. This encourages more fibrous roots to be produced.
A series of wall trees should be 15 feet apart from one another. Wall trees are best mulched after planting with sedge peat to the depth of an inch placed on the ground for a width of about 3 feet in a half-circle.
Related posts:
- Growing Peach Tree System
- Tips for Mulching Fruit Trees
- Pruning Fruit Trees with Knives
- Harvesting Fruits
- Fruit Tree Mechanical Aids
