Growing your own fruit is one of the most rewarding things you can do as a gardener, but it isn’t always a successful venture. Take peach trees, for example, which require very particular maintenance in winter in order to set fruit the following summer.
Growing peach trees is challenging and failing to give them attention in winter can be one of the biggest mistakes, potentially wiping out next year’s harvest and hindering the health of your tree. This is because frost can kill buds, preventing blossom, and therefore fruit development. Not only this, but pests and diseases can also be problematic at this time of year.
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3 Essential Winter Peach Tree Tasks
Doing these winter peach tree tasks will help you to get your peach tree to fruit by protecting it from frost, stopping pests, and helping it to become stronger.
1. Protect Your Peach Tree From Frost
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When it comes to preparing your garden for winter, it’s important to put plant protection from frost in place for those that need it most. This includes protecting many fruit trees from frost, like peaches.
‘Mulching will guard them against freeze damage, dehydration, and trunk injury,’ says Michael.
This is the process of laying down organic matter to insulate plant roots. There are plenty of fall mulching materials readily available in the yard, like fallen leaves, but you can also purchase mulch (like this organic pine bark mulch from Amazon).
‘You’ll want to mulch the root zone by applying 3-4 inches of wood chips, straw, or shredded leaves around the drip line (the outer edge of the canopy where rain drips down),’ he describes.
This will not only insulate peach tree roots, but it will also keep them hydrated over the winter period by improving moisture retention.
‘It’s also a good idea to install a frost cloth (from Amazon),’ Michael adds.
This is a protective covering to stop buds becoming damaged by frost. You can use other materials, too, including using bed sheets to protect plants from frost.
Michael Clarke
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Gardening Expert
Michael Clarke is the founder of Yardwork and Pulled, the online platforms for everything home and garden. He has a degree in landscape architecture and horticulture from the University of California Davis. He was previously the founder of a landscape development and maintenance company.
2. Remove Overwintering Pests
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There are lots of winter garden pests to be aware of during the coldest months of the year, many of which target peach trees.
There are a few specific peach tree pests to look out for: peach twig borer, green peach aphid, and codling moth, all of which overwinter on peach trees as larvae and eggs.
Come spring, these pests can reap havoc, causing a range of issues from feeding on new shoots and developing fruits, to weakening the tree and causing wilting, leaf distortion, and stunted growth.
This is why Michael says it’s important to give your peach tree a winter wash, providing essential pest protection.
‘Apply a dormant oil spray (from Amazon) in late winter when the tree isn’t yet actively growing and before its buds swell. This will kill overwintering pests,’ he advises.
Something to consider: many winter washing products contain chemicals that may harm beneficial insects, so it isn’t necessarily the most eco-friendly gardening choice to make.
For this reason, you may decide to opt for natural pest control methods to keep your peach tree safe instead.
This includes clearing leaf piles at the base of your tree (removing hiding spots for pests) and companion planting to deter pests.
3. Prune Damaged Branches
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This one is technically for early spring just before new growth: as winter comes to and end Michael urges you to prune your peach tree.
‘Peaches fruit on one-year-old wood, so selective winter pruning stimulates fresh, productive shoots, removes diseased or dead branches before spring growth, and improves airflow and sunlight penetration, which ultimately reduces fungal disease and increases fruit size,’ he explains.
Because these trees set fruit on one-year-old wood, it’s important to be very careful with what you’re removing.
‘It’s best to only remove dead, damaged, or diseased wood as well as crossing or rubbing branches, tall upright shoots known as ‘water sprouts’, and older, non-productive wood,’ Michael advises.
‘The goal is to create an open-center or vase shaped tree that allows the most sunlight into the center,’ he explains.
You should use essential pruning tools for this, like these bypass pruning shears from Amazon. Always make sure your tools are sharp to make clean cuts and prevent damage to your tree.
FAQsWhen Should I Fertilize My Peach Tree?
It’s best to fertilize your peach tree in early spring, just ahead of active growth. Using a slow release granular fertilizer (like this from Amazon) will supply your tree with essential nutrients over a number of months, or you can provide an instant boost of nutrients with this liquid peach tree fertilizer from Amazon. Either way, feeding your tree in spring will support growth and fruit development. Avoid fertilizing your peach tree in fall or winter when it’s dormant. This could cause root rot or root burn, and hinder the health of your tree.
If you’re new to peach growing, it can be tricky to know when the fruit is ready. These fruits are climacteric, meaning they will continue ripening once harvested. But, for the best taste, check our expert advice on when to harvest peaches.
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