Peach – watering a peach tree

Content:

• Peach tree origin
• Peach tree care and location
• Pruning a peach tree
  
• Fertilizing peach trees
• Watering peach trees

Peach Origin

The peach (Prunus persica), also known as the Persian apple, belongs to the rose family (Rosaceae) and is classified as a stone fruit. It grows as a small, deciduous tree with a spreading crown, reaching a height of between two and eight meters. Peaches were cultivated and bred in China as early as 6000 BC, where they symbolized immortality. From Persia and Greece, they were eventually introduced to Germany by the Romans. In the 12th century, Hildegard von Bingen mentioned the peach tree as possessing medicinal properties. Today, it is primarily found in Germany along the Moselle River, where the number of vineyard peach trees is estimated at 15.000. The fruit is used to make jams, liqueurs, and brandies.

In Central Europe, the flowers bloom before the leaves sprout in April. They usually appear individually in pink and white and have very short stalks. The hermaphrodite flowers are five-petaled with a double perianth and have a diameter of 2,5 to 3,5 cm.

The lanceolate leaves of the peach tree are approximately 8 to 15 cm long and 2 to 4 cm wide. The leaf margins are serrated, and both sides are dark green. Peach trees bear fruit for the first time after three to four years. Depending on the variety, the round stone fruit is ready for harvest from the end of July to the end of August, when the skin turns golden yellow to red and the flesh is soft. In Central Europe, juicy and aromatic peaches can only be harvested from one's own garden. Commercially purchased fruit is harvested unripe to ensure it can withstand transport; however, it does not ripen fully after harvesting, and its aroma is not as pronounced.

Peaches are taprooted plants, and the roots are about as wide as the crown and up to one meter deep.

Peach care and location

A sunny, sheltered location with well-drained, warm soil is ideal for planting a peach tree. The soil should be humus-rich, nutrient-rich, and retain sufficient moisture. Because they bloom very early in the year, they are susceptible to late frosts.

Cutting peaches

Once a year peach trees need a pruningThis is best done after flowering, as the fruit buds are then easily distinguishable from the leaf buds. Pruning has the advantage of ensuring the tree bears abundant fruit in the summer and preventing the crown from aging over the years. In recent decades, training the tree to become a spindle tree has proven successful. In this process, the tree develops a main trunk from which secondary branches branch off to the right and left.

When pruning, it's important to pay attention to the different shoot types of the peach tree. There are true shoots and false shoots, as well as wood shoots and bouquet shoots. True shoots grow to the right and left of a pointed leaf bud. These are pruned back to 30 cm, leaving four to six buds. False shoots grow from the leaf buds and can be removed. Without leaves, the blossoms don't receive enough nutrients, so no fruit develops. The opposite of false shoots are wood shoots. They develop only leaf buds, which also don't produce fruit. These shoots can also be removed. Bouquet shoots are the ideal foundation for perfect fruit. They are short shoots that grow from older branches.

Fertilizing peach trees

A layer of mulch protects the soil from drying out. In spring, the Fertilize It is recommended to use compost and horn shavings to supply the tree with nutrients.

Watering a peach tree

Due to climate change, it is getting hotter in our regions, leading to longer dry periods. This has an impact on the environment and especially on trees. Depending on the location and the climatic situation, more frequent Water than in previous years. Peach trees have a high water requirement and must be watered regularly during their first years. Care should be taken to avoid waterlogging.
During the flowering period and in summer, it is recommended to water generously. As a general rule, young trees require 75 to 100 liters per watering, while older trees require 150 to 200 liters. When watering with a garden hose, there is a risk that the water will be released too quickly and the soil will only be able to absorb a portion of it. 

Our Irrigation bags The plants are supplied with water drop by drop, making watering more efficient and saving water. The shallow roots can absorb the water well without it seeping through the root zone.
Filling a watering bag provides young trees with sufficient water. For established trees laden with fruit, two to three watering bags can be zipped together to ensure adequate hydration. Attaching and filling the water bags is simple and self-explanatory. The bag is placed around the tree trunk like a jacket, zipped closed, and filled.