Growing Your Own Peaches & Nectarines
I think a lot of people figure they can stick a fruit tree in the ground, perhaps fertilize it a little and then spray for bugs once it blooms and magically it will produce a lot of super sweet fruit at harvest time. At least, that’s certainly what I thought before I planted out orchard. As it was explained to me, “it’s easy”. Well yes, it is “easy”, but there is an awful lot of “easy” if you want a great crop.
The information I am going to present on these pages is, to a large extent, relevant for apricots and apples although apples and pears, pome fruit, have additional considerations like fire blight and cedar rust, among others.
Generally, as you read these pages bear the following in mind:
- It is very difficult to grow organic peaches and nectarines – and expensive.
- You can have a huge amount of small fruit, or a smaller amount of larger fruit but the average weight per mature tree will still be in the 100lb to 130lb per tree range so no, you don’t need 5 trees for your family and friends.
- You do need to keep an eye on your tree(s) and check them every week.
- Most of the information I am providing here comes from the Ag. department, Dr. Lockwood and colleagues, of UT. That said, they are not responsible for what I write here and do not vet it so they may not agree with everything I say and certainly have not endorsed anything.
- The remainder of the information I provide I have either researched myself online or received advice from other, perhaps retired, peach orchard owners. They too are not responsible for nor endorsing anything I say.
- Where possible, if I am using a restricted use pesticide, which includes fungicides and insecticides, I will say so and try to suggest a non-restricted alternative.
- While I am presenting this information on an annual calendar basis remember that this is “general” and treatments should always be done based on the current stage of growth, or dormancy, of your orchard (not mine) particularly as there are micro-climates that effect the stage your trees / orchard may be at any given time.
- If you can, get a soil test done BEFORE you plant your trees. If it’s too late, get a soil test done every year anyway. Your UT extension office can help here.
IMPORTANT NOTE: I accept no responsibility for the accuracy of this information nor the impact of your use of any information I provide. Most importantly, if you use a pesticide of any kind you are required to read the label and remember, THE LABEL IS THE LAW. Do not use any product not labeled for your specific type of fruit.
The links below will take you to the calendar month where I provide the information regarding what I did in the orchard that month. I will be filling in this information as I can so please, just because you read “Augusts” entry at the end of August, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t come back and read it again next August, or in late September. If there is no link, it’s because I have not yet provided the information.
We are in Southern Middle Tennessee. This impacts our orchard because the climate zone (7A) may be different to your climate zone so be aware of the differences.
If you have not yet planted your trees, and you are planting more than one, they should be 15ft apart. If you are planting them in rows than the trees in a row should be at least 15ft apart and the rows should be 24ft apart. Our orchard is planted 20ft by 20ft – we have the space – but if I were to plant again I’d plant 20ft between trees, 24ft between rows.
Peaches, nectarines and apricots all need well drained soil as they are subject to root rot, and lots of sun. There are many varieties of all three and this will impact both their disease resistance and when they will ripen. You should have some idea of when you want your trees to provide fruit and pick the variety that has a flavour and ripening time that fits your needs. Don’t just buy any old tree from your local nursery, Lowes or Home Depot.