How to grow Peaches

A Peach growing guide with information on sun requirements, when to plant, feeding, when to harvest, pests and troubleshooting notes.

Peach trees require rich, well draining soil with plenty of compost mixed in.

Like most fruit trees, Peaches require deep, well draining soil. They will not tolerate waterlogged soil and will develop root rot as a result. Avoid planting in heavy clay unless the soil has been amended. Heavy soils can be improved by incorporating gypsum and organic matter and mounding the soil before planting to improve drainage. 

Plant your Peach tree in a full sun position. 

Yes, Peach trees are frost tolerant. 

Plant your Peach trees roughly 6m apart. Spacing is largely dependent on your pruning method.  

Late autumn or early spring is the best time to transplant most dormant plants. Plants, with the exception of bare-root, can be transplanted at anytime between when the ground thaws and when it freezes (so anytime if you are in a frost free climate). However, if transplanting in the heat of summer, you'll need to be diligent in watering and provide extra shade for your plant in the first few weeks after transplanting. 

Dig a hole 2-3 times the width of the root ball. The hole should allow the plant to sit at the same level in the soil as it was previously. Fill the hole with soil ensuring the crown of the plant, where roots and stem meet, is level with the soil surface. 

Plant out in the early morning or evening and/or on an overcast day. Avoid planting at peak sun times or on windy days, this will allow your plants to settle in comfortably and protect them from windburn and sunburn.  

Top-dress the soil around the Peach tree with well-rotted organic matter in spring, along with a balanced organic fertiliser throughout the season. Add a 2-3 inch layer of mulch around the tree up to the drip line to retain moisture (be careful not to pile mulch against the tree trunk as this may lead to trunk rot and disease). 

Harvest Peaches when they have changed colour and are slightly soft to touch. The fruit should pull away easily from the tree. 

Pests that affect Peach trees include: Mites, Scale, Fruit Fly, Oriental Fruit Moth, Thrips, Carpophilus Beetle, Fruittree Leafroller, Weevil, Mealybug. 

Diseases that affect Peach trees include: Leaf Curl, Bacterial Canker, Brown Rot, Bacterial Spot, Blossom Blight, Crown Gall, Scab, Rust, Shot Hole Disease, Silvery Leaf Disease, Plum Pox Virus, Root and Crown Rot. 

At the end of the season, prune your Peach tree in order to remove old or unproductive wood. Open up the centre to let light and air in by removing any overlapping branches, this will help to prevent disease.