Fruit with a stone or kernel are pruned when the sap is still rising, May and June are the key times. Plums, Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots, Cherries and Gages are all stone fruit to be pruned at this time of year.
Peach Pruning
- Peaches are often grafted on to Plum stock like Pershore or Common Mussel.
- They flower and fruit on wood made in the previous season so once the wood has fruited it can be cut out to allow replacement branches to develop.
- For young trees the shoot which has born fruit is allowed to grow until it reaches say 18″ then it is pinched out to a wood bud.
- On a fan trained Peach do not allow one side to dominate the other unchecked. Vertical branches are more dominant than horizontal branches so tie the branches accordingly to direct energy into an even growth pattern.
- Blossom buds are round and fat whilst wood buds are small and pointed.
- Bush grown Peaches need drastic pruning in may to encourage a continuous supply of new wood. Growth appearing next to a fruit should be pinched out above the second leaf.
Peach Tips
- Thin fruit after ‘stoning’ (the natural dropping of excess fruit like the June drop of Apples) to leave 6″ between fruit.
- Keep Peach trees moist whilst the fruit is developing. Fruit is ripe when the base is slightly soft.
- For grafted trees make sure the union is above soil level when planting.
- Peaches need more space than Plums to bear enough new wood.
Best Varieties to Grow
- Duke of York bears large sweet and juicy fruit in August. The skin is yellow and the flesh is green.
- Peregrine bears crimson fruit that are smaller but it is a reliable heavy cropper.
- Alexander is an early variety that needs extra frost protection but crops well
- Sea Eagle is a late ripener ready in October but with milder weather it can perform outside although it produces largest fruit under glass
How Do I Get the Stone from a fruit to gemanate?
Many Thanks.
Bob.