Peach Trees

Peach trees were producing tasty fruit in China as far back as the tenth century. They arrived in the United States in about the seventeenth century. Along with being tasty the peach is very healthy. A medium peach contains 40 calories, no fat, sodium, or cholesterol. A peach will provide 2% of the daily requirements of vitamin A and 10% of the vitamin C. Peaches are sometimes categorized as freestone or clingstone. The pits of freestone peaches are easily removed whereas the clingstone peach pits are more difficult to separate from the fruit.

Peach trees prefer full sun and well drained soil. For best results thin the branches every year to allow sunlight to reach the inner parts of the tree. Peach trees prefer a soil pH of around 6.5. As a general rule most of the peach trees do not need pollinators to produce fruit. Place your fruit tree in a place where there is deep sandy, loamy ground. If you have more fruit than you think your tree can hold, thin the crop to ensure the fruits that are left will be larger and tastier. Keep grass and other plant material away from the peach tree trunk so they do not compete with the tree. Leave an area of about 3 feet around the trunk and apply mulch. Bearing peach trees require at least 1 inch of water per week. Apply 1 inch a week if adequate rainfall doe not occur.