Peach tree trimming

[Paddy]

To all the peach tree owners.

We planted 3 peach trees last spring, they were sold in a 1 gal container and had a trunk the size of a broom stick. They were a bit over 3 ft tall. We trimmed a bit to get the desired open center. With good watering and twice fertilizing, we had good growth. All flowered and one tree made two very large a sweet peaches!

Now the trees are 5 to 6 ft tall and full wide shape. They have branches the size of the original tree. Now is time to prune. I think I know the basics;

1) peaches grow on last years wood
2) remove branches heading back into the open center
3) cut back fast growing tops, by 30%

Questions; Is it OK to leave a short part of a branch that is heading to the open center so it can make a peach or 2? So instead of removing all of a 18 in branch heading in to the center, leave it to 6 in? I guess this depends if I can ID there is actually a fruit flower.

If a tree is unbalanced with bigger wood on one side, just cut the bigger side back further? Hoping the smaller side will "catch up"?
I have heard, peaches only set on "red wood". If I cut back by 30%, a bunch of the red wood will be gone.

I have not taken/posted photos yet because I think the center needs to be cleared so what remains will be easy to get final advice.

Any advice before I dive in?

 

[RalphVa]

I always pruned peach and plum trees like an upside down umbrella. I've noticed that the local peach orchards leave more upwards (like water shoots) out near the tips of the branches.

Ralph

 

[Paddy]

RalphVA

Ours are more like a "V" shape, with a bit of trimming, we will have back our open center. How much do you cut back in height?

 

[HillStreet]

Look at videos on how to prune trees. Just google it and you’ll have all the info you need.

 

[Paddy]

I've seen lots of videos, some are better than others. And each have a different methods. I did see where leaving short branches on the inside to be removed latter to up the peach output.

I think I'm better prepared now

Thanks all!

 

[Ford850]

Sounds like you have the idea of it. I learned each tree is a little different and you just go by feel. I usually prune the trees, then take a break, and come back through and prune a little more until they feel right. Years ago I only had a couple trees, and really didn't know what I was doing. Those were the best producing trees I've had, although the soil was much better at that location.

 

[plowhog]

Peach trees do NOT like to be pruned. But it is necessary. Prune it into a bowl shape with an open center, and be patient doing part this year, part next, etc. After pruning you will impact the peach harvest that next year.

 

[Paddy]

For the most part, I have a pretty good shape going. There are cuts from last year that did not give me the expected outcome. By this I mean, I trimmed the scaffold at an outward facing leaf bud. Though the outward guy did grow, another up facing bud took control and is larger. Lesson learned; don't wait until the next pruning season to correct a shaping cut. If I had noticed the rapid growth of the up facing guy and "nipped" him off, the out facing bud would have been the source of growth.

I also have learned you can balance early fruit production and structure building. Our trees are covered in flower buds. If we did minimal trimming, we'd get a bunch of peaches. But maybe a wiser strategy would be to delay that and better establish the structure.

 

[Spindifferent]

I've found these videos to be very helpful for pruning my peach trees:

Pruning a Young Peach Tree - YouTube
Pruning a Two-Year Old Peach Tree - YouTube
Pruning a Mature Peach Tree - YouTube

 

[cqaigy2]

Nice list of videos. Thanks!

 

[Ford850]

I've found these videos to be very helpful for pruning my peach trees:

Pruning a Young Peach Tree - YouTube
Pruning a Two-Year Old Peach Tree - YouTube
Pruning a Mature Peach Tree - YouTube

Those are excellent videos. :thumbsup:

 

[RalphVa]

Really excellent videos. I'll have to remember to look these up (from NC State) when I'm on the hort helpdesk and get a question there on pruning.

Pruning for fruit production is BRUTAL pruning, not the kind you'd want to do for any ornamental tree. Also, pruning a tree like this makes them prone to make water shoots. You can cut out water shoots any time you find them them, and you should. Otherwise, you'll find yourself with fairly large water shoots growing right in the middle of the upside down umbrella that you want to have fruit from, mainly towards its outer parts. The upside down umbrellas allows sun light and air to flow in there freely, which won't happen if you let some water shoots grow in there.

Always prune your fruit to not touch. Touching will encourage moisture retention and then Brown Rot will come in.

To discourage Brown Rot, I'd recommend doing a spray or two of milk solution (about 9 or 10 water/milk, any kind of milk) just before bud break every year. This may keep Brown Rot from coming. Once you have it, I think your trees are doomed. It'll be very difficult to get rid of it. This has some, limited research base behind it, as milk is a natural preventer for this kind of thing, but there hasn't been a lot done on it. I saw one NC or NC State guy (don't recall which) on TV one day promoting this.

The most important bug preventative is to do 1 or 2 dormant oil sprays during the dormant season (coming to an end now) every year. You will have very little or no bug problems if you do this.

For squirrels, shoot them or use some bait that will cause them to bleed out. Protect the main part of the tree with a mesh or enclosure in the fall to keep hooved rats (some call them deer, not dear to a gardener) from rubbing the bark off to scratch their itchy antlers.

Ralph

 

[JimWalch]

boy oh boy do I have some trimming to do after watching those videos. Thanks for posting them