Peaches are a fruit tree requiring annual pruning. While they don’t have to be cut heavily, they do need trimming to help maintain the health of the tree and to be productive. After researching the topic and discussing it with our County Extension Agent, we took on the task of pruning our new peach trees. Peach trees are pruned so as to leave the center open with the branches in a V formation. This allows for good air circulation, reducing fungal growth and pest access. Normally, this is achieved by cutting the center stalk from the tree and encouraging growth of the outer branches. In addition, the exterior
limbs should be trimmed at the ends. This prevents the upward growth of the limbs, allowing easier access to fruit at the time of harvest.
Our original volunteer peach tree, about 8-10 foot tall and beautiful despite being dug up and moved, was the initial victim. Unfortunately, the dominant center stalk was crooked,
forming an off-center Y shape. Having never been pruned before, my husband felt it necessary to cut the entire top from the tree to try to change it’s already advanced shape. Hopefully, this drastic cut will encourage the smaller side branches to grow up and out. Most of the other trees required only mild pruning, removing the top center limb or removing the lower, sucker limbs from the bottom 3 foot of trunk. The sucker limbs are non-productive and leach nutrients from the tree which could be used to produce fruit. A similar process is used for tomatoes usually resulting in higher crop production. Being the softy I am,
I saved the prunings and am trying to root them. Who knows…..I may become an avid peach tree cultivator! Hahaha! Here we grow again!
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