I love this video. I've watched it every February for three years in a row now as a quick tutorial before I attack our peach tree in the backyard. Almost every year after pruning I get a comment about, "What happened to your peach tree?!?!" so I know I'm doing it right. :) Thanks so much for the tutorial and information.
+Slish514 Very funny! I often had the same comment from people. Understanding proper fruit tree pruning seems to be a scarce knowledge. I actually get comments on these videos from people fearing I am destroying the trees. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have seen a lot of peach trees that have less than 60% of last years growth removed and they are sad to miserable. If your friends are in shock you probably did it right. Thanks for staying tuned for years. Bill
Another great instructional pruning video, thanks mate. When I teach my kids a skill that they can use for the rest of there life I tell them "thats a lifer kids". You just taught me a "lifer" that I'll pass on to my kids. Thank you Cobba.
I have watched many, many videos on how to prune fruit trees and raspberries but yours are hands down the best most complete videos that I’ve watched, Thank you for sharing your expertise in a clear, fun and simple manner. I’m sitting hear in a bit of shock thinking that it’s so easy. Thank you, you have the gift of teaching, Cindy
Cindy, I tend to make it look easy and it is but it is also a lot like playing guitar. Once you know how it's simple. Understand the basics of pruning and the rest will come natural.
Thank you so much!!!! You explain pruning in a way I can understand. You show what to do right after you talk about it. The way you explained how the tree needs to breathe really helped me understand. Again, Thank YOU!!
Thank you, glad I could help out. Stone fruit trees like peach, nectarine, plum, apricot and cherry will fruit both on the inside of the tree and on the outside if sunlight is allowed to reach to the core of the plant. This doubles the yield. If the center of the tree is lift closed the fruit only forms along the outside. When in doubt with peaches cut more wood rather than less because the limbs are very weak and break easily. Aloha, Bill
Thanks so much for the advise! I went ahead and pruned it, following your directions in the video. I think my husband was a bit alarmed by what I cut off, but I was expecting that. :)
Thank you. You have a great teaching style and passion for what you do. It shows. I planted my first peach 2 years ago here in Northern California, and now I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what I'm doing. Thanks.
You're welcome. Pruning on peaches is one of the important aspects of cultivation. Keep the tree as close to the ground as makes sense. Don't forget to use horticultural oil with copper as a spray for control of peach leaf curl. November and February are the best months to apply but December and January will work to some extent. Thanks for the feed back, Bill
Nice one mate. I know very little about fruit trees but I've recently become fascinated. My old man has a bunch of neglected trees, peach, plum, apple... some of them must be 50 year old or more, the apple trees especially are massive! I'm looking forward to doing some work on them and this has been quite helpful.
I was a little unsure watching other videos, then yours. Seeing how you performed invasive surgery, with confidence, on a trees under the care of a 'quack' made a lot of sense. I hope the homeowner was understanding. ;-)
+tc96z1 The home owner fired me. Not because I did poor work but because he judged my fee was too high. He is back to people who hack trees for cheap. You get what you pay for. Thanks for the feed back, glad the video made the principles clear. I have used these pruning techniques on Nectarines and Peaches for many years and they produce strong healthy trees with good crops.
This was VERY HELPFUL! Thank you! I planted a peach about three years ago. The first year I did not prune because I didn't know I needed to. Last year I pruned without the guidance of this great video and I'm probably lucky that I didn't kill the tree. I pruned in the late spring but it seemed to take about a month to recover and then start to grow again over the summer. I live in the desert (Palm Springs) and the peaches usually ripen very early in the summer here. I was just glad that my tree had survived and was not looking for fruit until one day in October when I noticed what looked like a very small peach on the ground. When I looked carefully the tree was actually covered in very small, already ripe peaches! There were probably 30 peaches on that small tree, not one of them bigger than a silver dollar, most much smaller. But they tasted great. So this year I'm hoping to do much better after your very instructive video. Thank you very much and I hope you have a great growing season!
Thanks Bill, I planted a peach last year and it is time to prune. It went from stick to large shrub size but I will try to stay strong and cut off a lot like you have instructed! Don't want it to get away from me in subsequent years, and hopefully will get some fruit off it this season.
I wouldn't get too worried about developing fruit on such a young tree yet. Your job at the moment is to structure the tree so the mature plant has good architecture. Peach pruning in the first three years of life is to develop the canopy. After that you shift gears and prune for fruit and size. Right now you need a nice 2 to 3 foot high central trunk with between 3 and 5 well placed scaffold limbs coming from it. If you look from above they should be separated like spokes in a wheel.
I just bought a fruit cocktail tree, with three types of peaches and two types of nectarines. Before watching this I felt a bit intimidated, but thank you I feel confident in caring for my new tree. Just subscribed.
+saraquil420 Thank you for the feed back and for subscribing. Since Nectarines are Peaches without fur your tree would be pruned exactly the same as a tree that was all one fruit. The once consideration would be conserving all of the original grafts when pruning. Bill
You're my go to guy on how to prune fruit trees. lol I have about 16 different fruit trees in my yard and when I need an answer I type in the question with your name. lol
Fruit trees can be pruned at different times of the year depending on the system you are using. The simplest way is to wait until the leaves fall off so you can see the branches. It is much easier to visualize the finished tree this way and the buds will be hard so they resist damage. In CA we usually do dormant pruning between Nov. and Feb. If you live in a colder, more northern location you might wait until the end of winter before pruning. This eliminates cold damage after pruning.
Thanks for the video. I intend to prune back next month (I'm in Australia) and will follow your tips. One thing - obviously yours is not the only video I have viewed - I watched an ABC TV video which recommends finally tip pruning back to fruiting (double or treble) buds as opposed to growth (single) buds to restrict growth. May be worth a mention next time:)
There are several different schools of thought on pruning peaches, all different yet all correct. In the video I demonstrate the classic dormant season pruning approach. If you live in a mild winter climate prune between November and early February. If you are in a cold winter zone then wait to prune until the coldest weather is past but the tree is still dormant.
Really glad I was able to get you set into a good direction with the trees. Good luck on them. Remember that subtraction is easy while pruning but addition is impossible. Scope the plant out well before starting and try to spot the finished product in the mess before you get started. Thanks for the comment.
Aaron, keep in mind two things about peaches while pruning. One is that they only fruit on last years wood. Wood that grew during the summer of 2011 will never fruit again. To keep lots of fresh wood coming on you have to prune pretty hard. The second thing is the wood is weak, it breaks easily under a load. Keeping the tree pruned close to the trunk will reduce the pressure and heavy pruning of last years shoots will reduce the fruit load. You will get larger fruit and no broken limbs.
Hello Dear Bill, Thank you very much for all the great videos you have been uploading. I have been really digging into them since i have found them a week ago. I really do value your opinion and knowledge. About a year ago i moved from the Big City apartment (Lisbon) to a house (with garden) in a small city named Alverca (13km out) and i have been trying to take care of the fruit trees here (Orange, Lemon, Clementine, Pomegranate, Loquat, Apple and Pear trees are the ones i have in around 300-500 square metres) and learning as i go. All new to me but i love it. People living in big cities don't know what they are missing. This is real life. I even saw a Ladybug few months ago. Is there any possibility of making a video about Loquats (aka Japanese plum, i think. Here in Portugal we call them Nêsperas.)? I haven't found any on your playlists. Like best pruning methods, common diseases and organic/natural/less harmful for the environment ways to deal with such pests and diseases. My Loquats have by this time of year a moldy like disease on them, blacks them out and dries them up and also affects the leaves. Are the pruning methods similar to apricots and peaches? Also I will probably, after viewing a few more videos and reading up on the comments, return here and ask more about peach diseases. My peach tree is severely damaged. The bark oozes sap and has many tiny puncture like holes. I've cut off a dead limb and found a big (4-5 cm) white larvae with a flat head (like a rattlesnake's) inside of it. The bark and root don't look so good as well near the soil... From i could find out on the net its caused by borers. I couldn't pinpoint exactly which insects leave those larvae. Thank very much, pardon the bad English, and the long writing.
+Luis Magro Thank you for the kind feed back. I am glad my videos are an aid to you. I had to laugh about you seeing a lady bug. A true wild life adventure! The Japanese Plum and the Loquat are different. Japanese plum in English is the same as European plum other than original origin. The disease you describe sounds like Fire Blight on Loquat. The disease has to be pruned from the tree taking care to remove at least .3 meters below the damage of healthy wood too. Clean the shears with alcohol between each cut. Keep the disease pruned from the tree when ever you see it is present. It transmits from infected trees or branch to uninfected during the bloom season. Pollinating insects move it from plant to plant. You peach has boring insects. They usually occur when a plant is long neglected and struggling for water or fertilizer. Saving the tree may not be possible. It depends on how long this has been going on. There are insecticides that will work on borers but it may be simpler just to remove the damaged tree and replace with a fresh one. Peaches only have a healthy bearing life of about 14 years. They are not long lived trees. Old ones are best converted to fire wood. Bill
Timing of the pruning depends on where you live. In Coastal CA we prune between November and early Feb. In colder climates we wait until the worst chill of winter is over before pruning peaches. This avoids the freezing of wood after pruning.
Thanks for the quick response, Bill. I did a little pruning as per your instructions today. I made a short video of the process which I will post as a video reply soon so that you can take a look at what I did and hopefully answer a couple more questions that resulted from the process.
We usually prune peaches in the dormant season. They can be pruned in the growing season but only with care not to damage the tender shoots, leaves, flowers or fruit. Peaches only make flowers and fruit on wood that was grown in the pervious season. Older wood is fruitless and so is younger wood. Every year we cut away about 60% of last years growth during the winter to keep the fruit load closer to the tree center and to limit the amount of fruit. This keeps the tree from breaking.
Red Haven is a choice peach, you will enjoy it. If it is seven feet tall in the pot consider taking after the main trunk with a pruning shear. The central trunk of the peach should be between 1 1/2' and 3' feet tall when it is headed back. From there you develop the scaffold limbs. There should be 3 to 5 of these spread a part from each other on the trunk and running around it like spokes of a wheel. Enjoy the peach pie, Bill
Hey Bill, great video as usual. I planted a very young (1-2 years old, tops) Babcock Peach about 6 months ago. I am happy to report it is doing quite well, putting on new lateral branches and gaining in girth. It only had a central leader and no laterals when I got it. Should I prune it anything this early on?
Really great video and enjoyed your enthusiasm. I have a a peach tree that was planted in approximately 2007 and while it produces wonderful fruit, it clearly has never been pruned before. When's a good time of year to do some heavy pruning?
A 7 year old peach that has never been pruned won't be producing wonderful fruit for very long. You are probably on the verge of a canopy collapse. You will probably have to cut the tree back to just the 3 to 5 main scaffold branches this winter. Since I don't know where you live it is difficult for me to advise you about pruning time. The best time to do heavy pruning is during the dormant season. If you prune between bud break and harvest you run the risk of destroying tender tissue or the crop. Pruning right after harvest is okay but only if your peach is an early variety and you have a growing season over 250 days. Otherwise just wait for the winter to do your work. Good luck, Bill
Hi Bill, I'm just North of Salt Lake City, UT. My USDA Hardiness Zone is 7a (if that matters). After watching your video, I clearly have my work cut out for me.
Jason Kol The trouble with summer pruning the peach in Salt Lake is, by the time you harvest the fruit it may be too late to prune. You have to make sure there is enough summer left, when pruning during the growing season, for the regrowth to mature before winter comes. You can work at some of it now but I would put off most of the work until late winter in 2015.
You're welcome. If all the shoots from ground level are peach then it came from a seed. This is pretty common, peach pits sprout easily. I have never seen a good peach from a seed but I have heard others disagree with me. I believe it depends on how critical you are about the size and quality of peaches. At the worst it would probably be good for jam.
It depends on how cold it gets after you prune. If you find dead wood in spring you may have pruned a bit early. Any damage done will grow new wood. Judge your pruning by the coming of spring in your area.
Great video! My tree is already covered in leaves and 50 million itty bitty peaches, and it is growing very vertical. It is a few years old. If I'm careful, do you think it's ok to prune it now?
Thank you for the feed back. When you prune depends on where you live. If you live in the coastal area of Northern California, like I do, you had better get the shears out quickly because things are starting to grow. If you live in a cold winter area then you can wait a while. Peaches in cold climate regions are best left unpruned until the very tail end of winter. If you prune too early and get a severe freeze you may lose more wood to the cold. In warm winter regions we usually try to prune between late Oct. and early Feb.
Peaches usually start to bare a fair crop after the third year. Two years is pushing it a bit but you may get a few. The early fruit isn't usually the quality of older trees though. Almost all peach varieties are self fertile so they don't require a second tree. Planting a second tree of a earlier or later variety will extend your harvest though.
Bill, in your opinion, how would peach trees do in the Espallier style? I would like to do some fruit trees in a small space and was considering the most space effective styles of pruning...
I would say peach is an excellent choice for espalier. They need to be pruned heavier than all other fruit trees for production because they only fruit on wood grown during the previous year. This makes keeping them in the bounds of the trellis pretty easy. They also have very weak wood so tying them to a frame will help hold the tree together under fruit loads. The only negative I can think of is peach is susceptible to several fungus like peach leaf curl and mildew. If the espalier was against a wall the lack of air circulation might foster disease. Create an espalier that is free standing so the light and air can get to the foliage.
Very good info, thanks so much :) I don't have the land I'd like to, but I intend to make the most of it...which means compact growing situations for fruit trees :) Thanks again for your insight!
Pruning now would be better than than not pruning but mark your calendar out for a dormant spray program and a dormant season pruning for next year. November to Feb. is best. I always prune before I spray to prevent peach leaf curl. Less wood in the tree the easier the spray program is.
Liked your video on pruning. It looked as tho the tree was just budding. Do you prune in early spring? I am raising a peach tree and training it espalier. Have way too much growth and had no peaches this year. This would be the 4th year for the tree. In reading your comment section I'm wondering if I can go ahead and prune now (early July). I am totally new to growing fruit trees and have lots to learn.
Thank you for your response! There are definitely peach tree leaves, so perhaps your seed idea is the case here. I will remove all but one trunk and see what develops, since there is no shortage of space at the moment. Thanks again!
I just bought a property that has a couple of peach trees that look like they were neglected for years. One seems to have about a dozen trunks (I assume suckers grew up and were let alone and it became a multi-trunked tree). The tree is about 7' tall. Will it harm the tree to remove all but a couple (or even one) of those trunks, and then start training that tree to the bowl shape you describe? Thank you, Mary
Actually I did indicate this as one of the steps. I use different language to describe the process though because counting the size of buds is not only tedious and too slow it is harder to understand for the novice gardener. I have stated in my video to prune all of last years growth twigs back by 50% to 60% of their length. This amounts to the same as double and triple buds because the multi buds are in the lower 50% of the twig. It is faster, easier and keeps the branches short. Thanks.
Thank you for the Video :) love your humor! I have a peach tree, its about 2 years old. and never been prune before. now its starting to grow a lot of small peaches I am wondering, it is too late to prune them? I don't want the tree start breaking off :(
The wood in a 2 year old tree should be light enough that you can prune branches during the fruit phase without damaging the surrounding buds. The main reason we don't prune right after flowering is because the buds are very tender and break off from friction. In the winter the tree is hard and will take a lot of beating. As long as you can gently lift the branches out of the tree feel free to prune. Bill
Bill, after a rough winter, I'm pleased to have a good load of peaches here in Upstate NY. However, this year there seems to be a great number of co-joined fruit. Is there a typical cause? Should I pull these off when thinning? Thanks.
Vincent Esposito Double peaches are usually considered the product of drought stress during the previous summer when the flower buds were forming. The damage is already done when the tree goes dormant for the winter. Some sources say that high heat can also cause this. Not all peach varieties will double so if you have a lot of doubles we might also point to the genetics of the variety you are growing. If you are planning to sell the crop then you may as well remove the doubles because they are worthless in the market. If the peaches are being used at home then they don't matter much as long as they don't split in the tree.
Thanks. The drought think makes sense. Not only does the Flame Prince have them, but also the Contender variety next to it. Neither had doubles before. I don't sell. I give away what we can't eat or reasonably store. When the apple orchard comes into full production I will donate to food banks. Right now, I hand out apples to homeless folks on the street. They appreciate fresh fruit!
Vincent Esposito Vincent, I recall bringing a bag of fresh fruit along while we walk from the train to the San Francisco Symphony. There are only two kinds of homeless people on that walk; the ones that are over joyed to get the fruit and the ones who can't figure out what to do with it because they really want a bottle.
Bill enjoyed your video, but have a basic problem with my last spring planted peach. The trunk has grown at a 30 degree lean and I can see real breakage problems with even a normal harvest, let alone a heavy one. I'm actually considering digging up the root ball and straightening it up but don't want to destroy the tree as it is very healthy. Any suggestions?
Different people have different issues with trunks leaning so you will get as many answers to this question as the people you ask. As for me I don't give a leaning trunk much mind, others are panicked by it. If it's any consolation I often plant trees with a lean to the trunk because it tends to slow the vertical growth of the plant some. Since plants are geotrophic ( they follow the Earths gravity) the lean won't show or mean much in a few years time. You had mentioned something about breakage due to fruit load. Since it will be last years growth on the scaffold limbs and the not the trunk that bear fruit the lean shouldn't really matter. This is true if you are training the tree with the standard peach orchard style pruning. In this system the main trunk is cut in the first year of growth to about 1 1/2 to 2 feet off the ground, no more than 3 feet. Then 3 to 5 main limbs are all grown from this short trunk. When training in the standard fashion the lean should not matter. If for some reason you have trained the tree in a more unorthodox fashion with a very tall trunk then you may have trouble. I suggest you keep the trunk to 3 feet or less for a lot more reasons than the lean. If you choose to straighten the tree you can usually do this by just digging out one side, prying the tree straight then back filling and staking. Don't leave the stake for more than a year.
Bill, can you opine on fertilizing peach trees? I had my first small crop this year, but the fruit were a bit small (no thinning was necessary). There could be a few reasons for this - it was the first crop and I live on the weather fringe for success or failure with peaches, but I do want to make sure the trees are not under nourished. I see that some sites recommend a nitrogen-heavy fertilizer but I want fruit not veg growth. Should I be looking for a particular balance/mixture or brand? TY
Bill, my 3 peach trees are maybe 10 years old. Assuming I was pruning properly, I have consistently pruned out the center, and have done annual pruning, tipping back the 1 year old wood to a good length to support fruit load. Unfortunately, all of this has produced fruiting wood that is at an unreasonably height for me to pick and net fruit, as every year the new wood grows further out on the scaffolds and laterals. Is it possible to now stimulate new growth at lower levels in the years-old (and bald) limbs? What if anything should I have done differently to keep new wood growing at a lower points? Commercial orchards must be doing something differently unless they replace trees every 10 years. Thanks.
You are referring to the rejuvenation of a peach, not the annual pruning. Most commercial peaches are cut back to frame work in 7 years time if the tree is still healthy. If not the tree is replaced. Generally by 14 years the trees have reached the end of their useful life and are removed. Every 7 years or so the trees are reduced to the main trunk and scaffold limbs then regrown closer to the earth. You will lose a crop in the process and have to control the regrowth ,which will be vigorous, but it will allow you to keep growing peaches without replacing the tree.
Well, it sounds like I have been taking the right approach in my annual pruning. The triplets will get quite the haircut this season then. Thanks again.
It was only the tree renewal that was omitted. Pay close attention to peach tree borer damage and bacterial cankers. If none of these exist in the lower trunk and scaffold limbs you are in business. The regrowth will create "brooms" in the tree limbs. The next summer will have doing summer pruning for direction and correction. If you have three trees consider not doing the renewal on all at once so you can still harvest a crop.
Interestingly, I live right on the fringe of the area where we can usually reliably peaches A few miles to the North here in NYS is a crap shoot, due to cold weather, and a stretch of sub-zero weather in winter can kill the fruit buds. Thankfully my nurseryman stocked a lot of cold hardy varieties, and coincidently I happened to buy 3 varieties that produce successively and provide peaches for a couple of months. My Flame Prince produces in early fall and flirts with the cold weather. Despite the climate, I'll match mine against any for flavor. A peach is a real gift from Mother Nature.
Fresh home grown fruit that is tree ripened is a treat anytime, anywhere. Many people have never had this experience. It is something you never forget.
I am on a second year and not sure if I pruned enough after planting. Seems a little top heavy. Should I leave it till Nov of cut some now. I have a couple peaches I suppose I should take them off also? thank you for responding, I have noticed on other garden videos most people don't respond when asked a question.
Generally peaches from seed are only good to use as root stock for name varieties. We usually either bench or field grow the seedlings for about a year them we graft scions of known quality peaches on to the top and grow them out for a second year before transplanting to their final home. Container growing of the seedlings makes it easier to do the grafting because you can do it on a bench at eye level.
If it has no laterals I would probably just cut the top back a few inches and then wait for winter before I bothered it again. Cutting the top back will force some laterals to develop.
You are correct in assuming an over grown and over loaded peach tree is a danger to it's self. Prune as needed to correct fatal flaws in the trees structure. Try to get into a pattern of annual pruning with peaches. Generally the dormant season is best because it is more difficult to injure the tree at that time. Good luck, a tree ripened peach is a thing of beauty.
I assume it has been in the ground for about 3 years. The first three years is usually when we train the form of the adult tree. Since this wasn't done you will need to find a good structure inside the tree and subtract everything else that grew. The only risk of pruning during fruiting is damage to the crop. If you don't care about the crop or you are careful you can begin training the tree now. You want a short main trunk, 3 to 5 scaffold limbs with open center, like a bowl.
The debate among arborist as to whether pruning sealers are positive or negative still rages on. I sit in the camp of those who use them only on occasion for extremely large wounds and then check on what is happening with them annually after application. The sealers often lift when the wound compartmentalizes and create a water proof pocket for rot to develop. As far as using them to prevent canker goes, they won't help one bit. Cankers are spread by the cutting tools. If you cut an infected area and don't clean your tool before moving you spread the disease as you go. The sealer won't stop this from happening, rubbing alcohol on the tool would be more useful.
@mrilovetheants Multi grafts are one of the most difficult plants to prune. The peach and the nectarine are pruned as per my video. They fruit only on last years wood. The plum fruits on last years wood and spurs that live for many years. After 7 years you could probably cut away 100% of last years growth on the plums and still get a crop. Prune as per the video but make sure to save the short fruit bearing twigs on the plums called spurs
Wonderfully informative! Thanks to you I now feel confident that I can take care of my bartlett pear and satsuma. An amusing note to anyone reading this. My nectarine has produced every year since I planted it...although I have yet to eat a single piece of fruit from it. Either birds or squirrels eat them all every year. I got smart last year and bought an owl statue with a photoelectric motor in the head to turn it every once in a while. It worked great...watched them nectarines grow nicely all season. Until a heavy wind blew my owl over and I didn't notice...and it seemed like the next day I had no fruit at all on the tree, and a bunch of pits laying on the ground under it as though the critters were flipping me off. I'm assuming the same principles hold true for my nectarine tree as they do for this peach? Also, quick question...my nectarine has already bloomed. Is it okay to prune it now or should I wait until next year?
+Rob Quiring If you can get the nectarine pruned with out breaking all the flower buds and leaves off yes, you can prune it now. The soft tissue issue is the main limitation. Nice one on the owl. I used to have one with a wind powered head but unless it was perfectly straight it didn't turn well. Solar powered head, nice. Thanks for the feed back on the video. Need a recipe for squirrel stew?
+GreenGardenGuy1 If I could catch the little buggers, then yeah I pick them off from my deck. I've yet to see what is actually feasting on my fruit. Sneaky little...
+Rob Quiring I have to be forever vigilant about rodents in my orchard too. In California they eat my Walnuts and macadamia nuts. Hawaii is paradise because it has no squirrels.
The harvest would be the same as any other year after the tree reaches maturity. Annual pruning on peaches is required in order to limit fruit set and strengthen the tree frame work. The results of not pruning away 60% of last years growth every year on a peach produces lots of small peaches rather than average size fruit and eventually broken limbs or complete tree collapse.
I believe the problem with that idea is the timing. You could air layer but the peach is pruned in winter and air layers on peach would not be ready to remove until around August or September. You have to remove 60% of last years growth every winter with peaches. Worrying about what happens to all that would could drive a man crazy. I just let it fall. If you are interested in making use of it the best idea would be grow some root stock using Myrobalan or peach pit seedlings then graft the branches to the root stock as soon as you are finished pruning the tree. I a couple years you will need to buy 40 acres just to plant all those trees!
hey Bill, i got a a peach tree last year form a nursery, which was about 6 feet tall. I don't know the exact age of it. i would say it had about 5-6 really tiny fruits on it. is there a way to make an rough estimate how many fruit it will produce this year?
+Mark balo I don't mean to be a party pooper but generally we spend about three years training the canopy of a peach tree in order to get it right for holding the mature crop. A peach will fruit in the nursery but early fruiting is often at the expense of shaping the mature tree. Focus on getting the tree shaped and buy the peaches at the farmers market for a couple years. I don't believe there is any way for me to predict the crop. That depends on the location, variety, climate, culture and the skill of the gardener. My tree would probably have less peaches this year because I would have clipped the branches trying create good architecture.
Uncle Jesse, how's the Duke Boy's? :-) Just kidding. What a great informative video! Thank You! I am growing some peaches from seed now. Do you have advice on clippings, when to clip and root starter?
Since moving from California to Hawaii I no longer need to worry about squirrels but Cardinals and Myna Birds have become my new arch enemy. Thanks for watching, stay tuned. Bill
If you decide to limit the number of trunks you can do that work at anytime. I would probably limit the number of trunks to about three. Since peaches aren't usually reliably hardy in Chicago having an extra trunk or two would be considered insurance. Otherwise I would recommend doing the annual pruning in March. That should be ahead of the buds breaking for spring but after the worst winter cold. Pruning peachs too early in the winter in your climate isn't a good idea.
hello bill thnx for video , my trees are on their 3rd year , is it true that branches that produced fruit won't be abl to produce next year so i should remove all the shoots that already had fruits on it ?
+elektra1984 That's one way to put it. I usually say that peaches only fruit on last years wood. Nothing older, nothing younger. When pruning them i remove about 60% of last years growth. This drives the fruit to the center of the tree and keeps it from over loading. You get less fruit but it will be larger. Pruning them gets to be a pleasant task if you get the hang of it.
+GreenGardenGuy1 well the harvest will end this week , so there won't be enough time to grow more woods (till october) will this mean next year won't be fruits ?
+elektra1984 Now you have me confused. If you have a harvest then the tree grew this year. The wood that is out and beyond the region where fruit formed was this years growth. That is the wood that will make fruit next year. The wood that grows in 2016 makes the fruit for 2017. Your job is to thin it, open the middle of the tree, remove crossed, broken or dead wood and them shorten the fruiting wood by 60% during the winter.
There are no hard and fast rules to the timing of peach pruning. The only reason most of never prune in bloom is because pruning is a vigorous activity and spring flowers are very tender. In the winter when the tree is dormant you can drag wood through the canopy without effecting soft tissue. I just finished pruning an apricot that had the buds swelled. No damage was done but I was gentle with the wood. Do it, but be gentle otherwise you will shred the soft buds.
Finally!!! I video to help me prune my peach/nectarines. I too will be dealing with the sins of my father. My trees resemble this one and not the ideal orchard setting from so many other videos. Please do a follow up of this tree.
Sorry, I sold the home in California a few years back and moved to Hawaii. Peaches don't grow here so I no longer prune them. A follow up would just be the same thing over and over again anyway. There is no real difference in pruning from one year to the next once you get a system in place. Aloha
Usually fruit size in peaches is dictated by the variety or the density of the fruit set. You said the set was light so we can dismiss over cropping. Not all peaches are the same size, variety matters a lot. A young tree that isn't properly established can also effect fruit. All fruit trees need fertilizer because they are high performance plants. You will do fine with a balanced organic like 5-5-5 or with a product labeled for fruit trees. Even chicken manure will work.
Leave an abundance of last years wood for fruit production but cut all of that wood back by about 50% to avoid over bearing. Enjoy the fruits of you labor.
Damn informative video Mr. Bill !!! Entertaining and informative. Blew my mind when I saw how much wood you removed, but made plenty sense as you explained each cut. Thank you for sharing, I'm now a new subscriber and I gleamed a lot of info just reading through the comments. Holy peach tree Batman, this guy knows his shit !!! LOL !!! All the best to you and God bless.
Einrich, It is important that peaches be pruned annually to keep the crop contained to the core of the tree and limit the amount of fruit set. Usually this work is done when the tree is dormant because pruning is a vigorous activity and soft tissue like flower can be easily destroyed in the process. That said, if it was my tree, I would probably prune it anyway but be extra careful not to shred the soft tissues by dragging wood through the tree. Next year mark the period that your tree has no growth and do the work then instead. Bill
Bill, Aloha! Can you answer a question? I have two white peaches in my orchard that I have let go too long without heavy pruning. The branches extend over six feet from the trunk and of course most of the fruiting wood is "way out" so to speak.Is this a situation where I might need to cut way back and wait a year for the tree to develop new fruiting wood? I watched a video from a guy in NZ or Australia. He had cut a peach tree back to just a stump and then retrained the large quantity of shoots that sprang from that back into the shape he wanted. Maybe something I should do for a tree that has gotten out of control? My branches are so long that they hang down quite a bit and all the fruiting wood is quite a ways out from the trunk.
Even if you are doing your annual pruning properly the peach will still need to be cut back hard about every seven years or so. Usually we do this once in the life of a peach tree since the effective baring life of these trees is only 14 to 16 year before we remove and replace. I usually maintain the main trunk and 3 to 5 of the best scaffold limbs. I will stump the limbs back to about 2 or 3 feet from the trunk and re-grow the canopy from there. It takes a year or two to get back to production but the tree will be structurally strong again. The biggest issue is dealing with the profusion of shoots this type of pruning creates. You will spend the next year selectively pruning during the growing season to keep the tree from creating brooms at the ends of the stubbed limbs. Good luck, you are on the right track. Bill
GreenGardenGuy1 Thanks for the quick reply. Your advice rings true. I think I will give it a try on one particular tree that has nothing else to lose. Sort of an experiment.
Good thing. I would go a bit further and consider it basic maintenance in the orchard. While running commercial nursery in California I often had to deal with clients who had under pruned peach trees. It is tragic to watch a good tree collapse under it's own weight and destroy it's self. There was little I could do for people afflicted with this issue other than sell them a new tree along with a book on how to prune properly. Peaches have very weak would and are not forgiving to under pruning. They will often crack away and even destroy the main trunk.
Exactly the same way. No change. If the tree begins to get too tall over 7 to 8 years time and is still healthy then we do a renewal pruning by shortening all the scaffold limbs an sacrifice fruiting for a year.
Perhaps the other garden video guys aren't used to answering questions for people. Peaches in the first three years of life are pruned to develop the central architecture of the mature tree. This consists of a central trunk between 2 and 4 feet high, with three to four main scaffold limbs toped with secondary limbs about 8 to 10 " apart. You can do this pruning during the summer if need be. After the third year you prune 60% of last year growth, thin the limbs and keep the center open.
Peaches are peaches no matter how large or small they grow. I find dwarf peaches to be much harder to prune than the taller type. Growth is very slow and appearance is different. An open center is the correct system. It will allow fruit inside and outside the canopy. With a closed canopy only the outside fruits.
Also I live in zone 10a, Port Charlotte Florida. When should I expect any yield. I bought the tree from a local nursery and was told it was grown from the University of Florida and somehow cross bred for this climate.(If theres any truth to that?) but anyways the tree was only about 1.5 feet tall with a beginning prune from the bottom to Y off the center, but even then as a very young tree it already had 1 nectarine on it. Well it's 2 .5 years later and I haven't had any new fruit growth. Last week was the first time I pruned and used any fertilizer though also. And which fertilizer would you recommend? I believe I used the wrong kind as I just used some Tomato Miracle Grow . Which I know sounds very dumb in itself but was also told that works just fine..
Daniel, Florida had a breeding program for low chill peaches and nectarines. They released many varieties, most have common names but others have UF names like UFGLO or UFO. Your tree has a proper name somewhere. Miracle Grow will feed a tree but if you read the label it will tell you to apply every 7 to 14 days. Most of us are too busy for that. I use slower release organic fruit tree fertilizer. The brand doesn't matter if you are buyer the higher priced versions with pro biotic cultures. Thanks for the kind words about the video. Bill
I watch this video every year and our peach tree is growing beautifully! Thank you so much!! The only problem is that every year we have a late frost and we lose all our peaches. It has been 3 years since we've had peaches now. Do you have a suggestion for how to prevent this? We live in NC...our peach tree is in bloom right now and we're supposed to possibly get snow tomorrow. We've tried covering it in past years but we always lose all our peaches anyway. It's been so upsetting!!
There are a few things you can do. Get a later flowering peach that misses the frost. Place a new tree in an area that remains cold late in the spring to delay the bloom. Paint the current tree or any future ones with white latex on the trunk and lower limbs. This will reflect the sun and slow the bloom. Place a foot thick mulch of wood chips and leaves all the way to the drip line. This will keep the soil cold later and slow the bloom. Use frost protection on the current tree to prevent the flowers from freezing.
couple more ideas: Sometimes you can string Christmas lights around tree (the bigger bulb ones), and the heat from them will be enough to prevent the blossoms, or tiny fruitlets, from freezing. You can also plant them in large containers, and move them under a patio or next to the house, which may be warmer.
My peach tree has started to have peaches. I didn't know about pruning until my neighbor said I should remove many of the peaches. Is there any pruning I can do now? There are many little branches about 1/8 of an inch with small peaches. Any idea of what to do now?
Thank you so much for the feed back. Love is something we can never get enough of. Like BB King says "My Mamma says she loves me but she could be jiving too!" Enjoy the videos. Bill
Because even Southern Indiana can get some pretty sever winter weather and peaches can be a bit tender I suggest pruning during the period where the worst of winter is over but spring hasn't come yet. For you that is probably between late Feb. and late March but you know your local climate better than I do. About three weeks before the break of the pussy willow is a good judge. If you prune in the beginning of winter and then get some sever arctic weather your peaches may get pruned a second time by the cold.
I love this video. I've watched it every February for three years in a row now as a quick tutorial before I attack our peach tree in the backyard. Almost every year after pruning I get a comment about, "What happened to your peach tree?!?!" so I know I'm doing it right. :) Thanks so much for the tutorial and information.
+Slish514 Very funny! I often had the same comment from people. Understanding proper fruit tree pruning seems to be a scarce knowledge. I actually get comments on these videos from people fearing I am destroying the trees. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have seen a lot of peach trees that have less than 60% of last years growth removed and they are sad to miserable. If your friends are in shock you probably did it right. Thanks for staying tuned for years. Bill
Lol
Another great instructional pruning video, thanks mate. When I teach my kids a skill that they can use for the rest of there life I tell them "thats a lifer kids". You just taught me a "lifer" that I'll pass on to my kids. Thank you Cobba.
Wow, never thought I would become a family tradition! Bill
Thanks for making a simple non confusing video on how to do this! Hands down the best video on the web for pruning a peach tree!
Thank you for making use of it. Subscribe and check in from time to time. I post new videos every week at least.
I have watched many, many videos on how to prune fruit trees and raspberries but yours are hands down the best most complete videos that I’ve watched, Thank you for sharing your expertise in a clear, fun and simple manner. I’m sitting hear in a bit of shock thinking that it’s so easy. Thank you, you have the gift of teaching, Cindy
Cindy, I tend to make it look easy and it is but it is also a lot like playing guitar. Once you know how it's simple. Understand the basics of pruning and the rest will come natural.
Thank you so much!!!! You explain pruning in a way I can understand. You show what to do right after you talk about it. The way you explained how the tree needs to breathe really helped me understand. Again, Thank YOU!!
Thank you, glad I could help out. Stone fruit trees like peach, nectarine, plum, apricot and cherry will fruit both on the inside of the tree and on the outside if sunlight is allowed to reach to the core of the plant. This doubles the yield. If the center of the tree is lift closed the fruit only forms along the outside. When in doubt with peaches cut more wood rather than less because the limbs are very weak and break easily. Aloha, Bill
Thanks so much for the advise! I went ahead and pruned it, following your directions in the video. I think my husband was a bit alarmed by what I cut off, but I was expecting that. :)
Thank you. You have a great teaching style and passion for what you do. It shows. I planted my first peach 2 years ago here in Northern California, and now I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what I'm doing. Thanks.
You're welcome. Pruning on peaches is one of the important aspects of cultivation. Keep the tree as close to the ground as makes sense. Don't forget to use horticultural oil with copper as a spray for control of peach leaf curl. November and February are the best months to apply but December and January will work to some extent. Thanks for the feed back, Bill
Nice one mate. I know very little about fruit trees but I've recently become fascinated. My old man has a bunch of neglected trees, peach, plum, apple... some of them must be 50 year old or more, the apple trees especially are massive!
I'm looking forward to doing some work on them and this has been quite helpful.
I was a little unsure watching other videos, then yours. Seeing how you performed invasive surgery, with confidence, on a trees under the care of a 'quack' made a lot of sense. I hope the homeowner was understanding. ;-)
+tc96z1 The home owner fired me. Not because I did poor work but because he judged my fee was too high. He is back to people who hack trees for cheap. You get what you pay for. Thanks for the feed back, glad the video made the principles clear. I have used these pruning techniques on Nectarines and Peaches for many years and they produce strong healthy trees with good crops.
Again, best info. about gardening I've seen on youtube bar none. Great info.
This was VERY HELPFUL! Thank you! I planted a peach about three years ago. The first year I did not prune because I didn't know I needed to. Last year I pruned without the guidance of this great video and I'm probably lucky that I didn't kill the tree. I pruned in the late spring but it seemed to take about a month to recover and then start to grow again over the summer. I live in the desert (Palm Springs) and the peaches usually ripen very early in the summer here. I was just glad that my tree had survived and was not looking for fruit until one day in October when I noticed what looked like a very small peach on the ground. When I looked carefully the tree was actually covered in very small, already ripe peaches! There were probably 30 peaches on that small tree, not one of them bigger than a silver dollar, most much smaller. But they tasted great. So this year I'm hoping to do much better after your very instructive video. Thank you very much and I hope you have a great growing season!
You're welcome. Thanks for tuning in and offering feed back. Bill
Thanks Bill, I planted a peach last year and it is time to prune. It went from stick to large shrub size but I will try to stay strong and cut off a lot like you have instructed! Don't want it to get away from me in subsequent years, and hopefully will get some fruit off it this season.
I wouldn't get too worried about developing fruit on such a young tree yet. Your job at the moment is to structure the tree so the mature plant has good architecture. Peach pruning in the first three years of life is to develop the canopy. After that you shift gears and prune for fruit and size. Right now you need a nice 2 to 3 foot high central trunk with between 3 and 5 well placed scaffold limbs coming from it. If you look from above they should be separated like spokes in a wheel.
I just bought a fruit cocktail tree, with three types of peaches and two types of nectarines. Before watching this I felt a bit intimidated, but thank you I feel confident in caring for my new tree. Just subscribed.
+saraquil420 Thank you for the feed back and for subscribing. Since Nectarines are Peaches without fur your tree would be pruned exactly the same as a tree that was all one fruit. The once consideration would be conserving all of the original grafts when pruning. Bill
You're my go to guy on how to prune fruit trees. lol I have about 16 different fruit trees in my yard and when I need an answer I type in the question with your name. lol
That is the best way to use this channel since I have so many video I don't even remember what is here. Thanks Bill
Love your plan off action and wit.
Fruit trees can be pruned at different times of the year depending on the system you are using. The simplest way is to wait until the leaves fall off so you can see the branches. It is much easier to visualize the finished tree this way and the buds will be hard so they resist damage. In CA we usually do dormant pruning between Nov. and Feb. If you live in a colder, more northern location you might wait until the end of winter before pruning. This eliminates cold damage after pruning.
Your explainating was best for me.
Thank you from.Melbourne Australia mate.
Thank you for the comment. Really glad I could help. Aloha
Thanks for the video. I intend to prune back next month (I'm in Australia) and will follow your tips.
One thing - obviously yours is not the only video I have viewed - I watched an ABC TV video which recommends finally tip pruning back to fruiting (double or treble) buds as opposed to growth (single) buds to restrict growth.
May be worth a mention next time:)
had a very good starting.looks much better now!
There are several different schools of thought on pruning peaches, all different yet all correct. In the video I demonstrate the classic dormant season pruning approach. If you live in a mild winter climate prune between November and early February. If you are in a cold winter zone then wait to prune until the coldest weather is past but the tree is still dormant.
Really glad I was able to get you set into a good direction with the trees. Good luck on them. Remember that subtraction is easy while pruning but addition is impossible. Scope the plant out well before starting and try to spot the finished product in the mess before you get started. Thanks for the comment.
Glad you got some information and a laugh. I will be pruning this tree again this winter. I will try to film.
Thank you Mr Merrill for teaching me how to prune a peach tree. :-)
Ruth Cavanaugh Thank you for the nice feed back, glad I could help out. Bill
Aaron, keep in mind two things about peaches while pruning. One is that they only fruit on last years wood. Wood that grew during the summer of 2011 will never fruit again. To keep lots of fresh wood coming on you have to prune pretty hard. The second thing is the wood is weak, it breaks easily under a load. Keeping the tree pruned close to the trunk will reduce the pressure and heavy pruning of last years shoots will reduce the fruit load. You will get larger fruit and no broken limbs.
The universe laughs with us when we have a sense of humor. Thanks.
Hello Dear Bill,
Thank you very much for all the great videos you have been uploading. I have been really digging into them since i have found them a week ago. I really do value your opinion and knowledge.
About a year ago i moved from the Big City apartment (Lisbon) to a house (with garden) in a small city named Alverca (13km out) and i have been trying to take care of the fruit trees here (Orange, Lemon, Clementine, Pomegranate, Loquat, Apple and Pear trees are the ones i have in around 300-500 square metres) and learning as i go. All new to me but i love it. People living in big cities don't know what they are missing. This is real life. I even saw a Ladybug few months ago.
Is there any possibility of making a video about Loquats (aka Japanese plum, i think. Here in Portugal we call them Nêsperas.)? I haven't found any on your playlists. Like best pruning methods, common diseases and organic/natural/less harmful for the environment ways to deal with such pests and diseases. My Loquats have by this time of year a moldy like disease on them, blacks them out and dries them up and also affects the leaves. Are the pruning methods similar to apricots and peaches?
Also I will probably, after viewing a few more videos and reading up on the comments, return here and ask more about peach diseases. My peach tree is severely damaged. The bark oozes sap and has many tiny puncture like holes. I've cut off a dead limb and found a big (4-5 cm) white larvae with a flat head (like a rattlesnake's) inside of it. The bark and root don't look so good as well near the soil... From i could find out on the net its caused by borers. I couldn't pinpoint exactly which insects leave those larvae.
Thank very much, pardon the bad English, and the long writing.
+Luis Magro Thank you for the kind feed back. I am glad my videos are an aid to you. I had to laugh about you seeing a lady bug. A true wild life adventure!
The Japanese Plum and the Loquat are different. Japanese plum in English is the same as European plum other than original origin. The disease you describe sounds like Fire Blight on Loquat. The disease has to be pruned from the tree taking care to remove at least .3 meters below the damage of healthy wood too. Clean the shears with alcohol between each cut. Keep the disease pruned from the tree when ever you see it is present. It transmits from infected trees or branch to uninfected during the bloom season. Pollinating insects move it from plant to plant.
You peach has boring insects. They usually occur when a plant is long neglected and struggling for water or fertilizer. Saving the tree may not be possible. It depends on how long this has been going on. There are insecticides that will work on borers but it may be simpler just to remove the damaged tree and replace with a fresh one. Peaches only have a healthy bearing life of about 14 years. They are not long lived trees. Old ones are best converted to fire wood. Bill
Timing of the pruning depends on where you live. In Coastal CA we prune between November and early Feb. In colder climates we wait until the worst chill of winter is over before pruning peaches. This avoids the freezing of wood after pruning.
Thank you soooo much for such an informative video. I'm ready to tackle the aggressive pruning you've shown here!
This goes on every winter if you want good peaches and a healthy tree. Thanks for watching. Bill
Thanks for the quick response, Bill. I did a little pruning as per your instructions today. I made a short video of the process which I will post as a video reply soon so that you can take a look at what I did and hopefully answer a couple more questions that resulted from the process.
We usually prune peaches in the dormant season. They can be pruned in the growing season but only with care not to damage the tender shoots, leaves, flowers or fruit. Peaches only make flowers and fruit on wood that was grown in the pervious season. Older wood is fruitless and so is younger wood. Every year we cut away about 60% of last years growth during the winter to keep the fruit load closer to the tree center and to limit the amount of fruit. This keeps the tree from breaking.
Thanks for the video! Good teaching with humor... Just picked up a 7' RedHaven Peach for here in west-central Virginia. First Peach tree...
Red Haven is a choice peach, you will enjoy it. If it is seven feet tall in the pot consider taking after the main trunk with a pruning shear. The central trunk of the peach should be between 1 1/2' and 3' feet tall when it is headed back. From there you develop the scaffold limbs. There should be 3 to 5 of these spread a part from each other on the trunk and running around it like spokes of a wheel. Enjoy the peach pie, Bill
@juarezmayra22 Thank you for the positive feed back. I am happy that you enjoy the videos. Bill
Thanks Bill. Learned a lot from your video!
Your peaches will like you! Bill
@bradgray51 Thanks so much for the positive feed back. Glad you can make use of it. Bill
Hey Bill, great video as usual. I planted a very young (1-2 years old, tops) Babcock Peach about 6 months ago. I am happy to report it is doing quite well, putting on new lateral branches and gaining in girth. It only had a central leader and no laterals when I got it. Should I prune it anything this early on?
love the humor. great video.
Really great video and enjoyed your enthusiasm. I have a a peach tree that was planted in approximately 2007 and while it produces wonderful fruit, it clearly has never been pruned before. When's a good time of year to do some heavy pruning?
A 7 year old peach that has never been pruned won't be producing wonderful fruit for very long. You are probably on the verge of a canopy collapse. You will probably have to cut the tree back to just the 3 to 5 main scaffold branches this winter. Since I don't know where you live it is difficult for me to advise you about pruning time. The best time to do heavy pruning is during the dormant season. If you prune between bud break and harvest you run the risk of destroying tender tissue or the crop. Pruning right after harvest is okay but only if your peach is an early variety and you have a growing season over 250 days. Otherwise just wait for the winter to do your work. Good luck, Bill
Hi Bill, I'm just North of Salt Lake City, UT. My USDA Hardiness Zone is 7a (if that matters). After watching your video, I clearly have my work cut out for me.
Jason Kol The trouble with summer pruning the peach in Salt Lake is, by the time you harvest the fruit it may be too late to prune. You have to make sure there is enough summer left, when pruning during the growing season, for the regrowth to mature before winter comes. You can work at some of it now but I would put off most of the work until late winter in 2015.
You're welcome. If all the shoots from ground level are peach then it came from a seed. This is pretty common, peach pits sprout easily. I have never seen a good peach from a seed but I have heard others disagree with me. I believe it depends on how critical you are about the size and quality of peaches. At the worst it would probably be good for jam.
It depends on how cold it gets after you prune. If you find dead wood in spring you may have pruned a bit early. Any damage done will grow new wood. Judge your pruning by the coming of spring in your area.
Great video! My tree is already covered in leaves and 50 million itty bitty peaches, and it is growing very vertical. It is a few years old. If I'm careful, do you think it's ok to prune it now?
I like your style lol I will be doing your technique. When should i prune ?
Thank you for the feed back. When you prune depends on where you live. If you live in the coastal area of Northern California, like I do, you had better get the shears out quickly because things are starting to grow. If you live in a cold winter area then you can wait a while. Peaches in cold climate regions are best left unpruned until the very tail end of winter. If you prune too early and get a severe freeze you may lose more wood to the cold. In warm winter regions we usually try to prune between late Oct. and early Feb.
Georgia here haha where we have experienced all four seasons in a week hahaha
Nell Easter It's been about 60 years since I lived in Georgia but I suspect you will be ready to prune as soon as the ice melt for a day or two.
Still one of my favorite videos. :)
Thank you. I have many, enjoy.
Peaches usually start to bare a fair crop after the third year. Two years is pushing it a bit but you may get a few. The early fruit isn't usually the quality of older trees though.
Almost all peach varieties are self fertile so they don't require a second tree. Planting a second tree of a earlier or later variety will extend your harvest though.
Bill, in your opinion, how would peach trees do in the Espallier style? I would like to do some fruit trees in a small space and was considering the most space effective styles of pruning...
I would say peach is an excellent choice for espalier. They need to be pruned heavier than all other fruit trees for production because they only fruit on wood grown during the previous year. This makes keeping them in the bounds of the trellis pretty easy. They also have very weak wood so tying them to a frame will help hold the tree together under fruit loads. The only negative I can think of is peach is susceptible to several fungus like peach leaf curl and mildew. If the espalier was against a wall the lack of air circulation might foster disease. Create an espalier that is free standing so the light and air can get to the foliage.
Very good info, thanks so much :) I don't have the land I'd like to, but I intend to make the most of it...which means compact growing situations for fruit trees :) Thanks again for your insight!
Thank you for the good word. Stay tuned, more to come.
thanks again for the great lesson...(we use the same wall climbing methods in australia) cheers
Pruning now would be better than than not pruning but mark your calendar out for a dormant spray program and a dormant season pruning for next year. November to Feb. is best. I always prune before I spray to prevent peach leaf curl. Less wood in the tree the easier the spray program is.
Liked your video on pruning. It looked as tho the tree was just budding. Do you prune in early spring? I am raising a peach tree and training it espalier. Have way too much growth and had no peaches this year. This would be the 4th year for the tree. In reading your comment section I'm wondering if I can go ahead and prune now (early July). I am totally new to growing fruit trees and have lots to learn.
Thank you for your response! There are definitely peach tree leaves, so perhaps your seed idea is the case here. I will remove all but one trunk and see what develops, since there is no shortage of space at the moment. Thanks again!
I just bought a property that has a couple of peach trees that look like they were neglected for years. One seems to have about a dozen trunks (I assume suckers grew up and were let alone and it became a multi-trunked tree). The tree is about 7' tall. Will it harm the tree to remove all but a couple (or even one) of those trunks, and then start training that tree to the bowl shape you describe? Thank you, Mary
Actually I did indicate this as one of the steps. I use different language to describe the process though because counting the size of buds is not only tedious and too slow it is harder to understand for the novice gardener. I have stated in my video to prune all of last years growth twigs back by 50% to 60% of their length. This amounts to the same as double and triple buds because the multi buds are in the lower 50% of the twig. It is faster, easier and keeps the branches short. Thanks.
Thank you for the Video :) love your humor!
I have a peach tree, its about 2 years old. and never been prune before. now its starting to grow a lot of small peaches I am wondering, it is too late to prune them? I don't want the tree start breaking off :(
The wood in a 2 year old tree should be light enough that you can prune branches during the fruit phase without damaging the surrounding buds. The main reason we don't prune right after flowering is because the buds are very tender and break off from friction. In the winter the tree is hard and will take a lot of beating. As long as you can gently lift the branches out of the tree feel free to prune. Bill
Bill, after a rough winter, I'm pleased to have a good load of peaches here in Upstate NY. However, this year there seems to be a great number of co-joined fruit. Is there a typical cause? Should I pull these off when thinning? Thanks.
Vincent Esposito Double peaches are usually considered the product of drought stress during the previous summer when the flower buds were forming. The damage is already done when the tree goes dormant for the winter. Some sources say that high heat can also cause this. Not all peach varieties will double so if you have a lot of doubles we might also point to the genetics of the variety you are growing. If you are planning to sell the crop then you may as well remove the doubles because they are worthless in the market. If the peaches are being used at home then they don't matter much as long as they don't split in the tree.
Thanks. The drought think makes sense. Not only does the Flame Prince have them, but also the Contender variety next to it. Neither had doubles before. I don't sell. I give away what we can't eat or reasonably store. When the apple orchard comes into full production I will donate to food banks. Right now, I hand out apples to homeless folks on the street. They appreciate fresh fruit!
Vincent Esposito Vincent, I recall bringing a bag of fresh fruit along while we walk from the train to the San Francisco Symphony. There are only two kinds of homeless people on that walk; the ones that are over joyed to get the fruit and the ones who can't figure out what to do with it because they really want a bottle.
Bill enjoyed your video, but have a basic problem with my last spring planted peach. The trunk has grown at a 30 degree lean and I can see real breakage problems with even a normal harvest, let alone a heavy one. I'm actually considering digging up the root ball and straightening it up but don't want to destroy the tree as it is very healthy. Any suggestions?
Different people have different issues with trunks leaning so you will get as many answers to this question as the people you ask. As for me I don't give a leaning trunk much mind, others are panicked by it. If it's any consolation I often plant trees with a lean to the trunk because it tends to slow the vertical growth of the plant some. Since plants are geotrophic ( they follow the Earths gravity) the lean won't show or mean much in a few years time. You had mentioned something about breakage due to fruit load. Since it will be last years growth on the scaffold limbs and the not the trunk that bear fruit the lean shouldn't really matter. This is true if you are training the tree with the standard peach orchard style pruning. In this system the main trunk is cut in the first year of growth to about 1 1/2 to 2 feet off the ground, no more than 3 feet. Then 3 to 5 main limbs are all grown from this short trunk. When training in the standard fashion the lean should not matter. If for some reason you have trained the tree in a more unorthodox fashion with a very tall trunk then you may have trouble. I suggest you keep the trunk to 3 feet or less for a lot more reasons than the lean. If you choose to straighten the tree you can usually do this by just digging out one side, prying the tree straight then back filling and staking. Don't leave the stake for more than a year.
Thanks for the suggestions, you have alleviated a lot of my concern and will now continue with the large bowl concept of pruning.
Thank you Aaron, you're welcome. Bill
Bill, can you opine on fertilizing peach trees? I had my first small crop this year, but the fruit were a bit small (no thinning was necessary). There could be a few reasons for this - it was the first crop and I live on the weather fringe for success or failure with peaches, but I do want to make sure the trees are not under nourished. I see that some sites recommend a nitrogen-heavy fertilizer but I want fruit not veg growth. Should I be looking for a particular balance/mixture or brand? TY
Bill, my 3 peach trees are maybe 10 years old. Assuming I was pruning properly, I have consistently pruned out the center, and have done annual pruning, tipping back the 1 year old wood to a good length to support fruit load. Unfortunately, all of this has produced fruiting wood that is at an unreasonably height for me to pick and net fruit, as every year the new wood grows further out on the scaffolds and laterals. Is it possible to now stimulate new growth at lower levels in the years-old (and bald) limbs? What if anything should I have done differently to keep new wood growing at a lower points? Commercial orchards must be doing something differently unless they replace trees every 10 years. Thanks.
You are referring to the rejuvenation of a peach, not the annual pruning. Most commercial peaches are cut back to frame work in 7 years time if the tree is still healthy. If not the tree is replaced. Generally by 14 years the trees have reached the end of their useful life and are removed. Every 7 years or so the trees are reduced to the main trunk and scaffold limbs then regrown closer to the earth. You will lose a crop in the process and have to control the regrowth ,which will be vigorous, but it will allow you to keep growing peaches without replacing the tree.
Well, it sounds like I have been taking the right approach in my annual pruning. The triplets will get quite the haircut this season then. Thanks again.
It was only the tree renewal that was omitted. Pay close attention to peach tree borer damage and bacterial cankers. If none of these exist in the lower trunk and scaffold limbs you are in business. The regrowth will create "brooms" in the tree limbs. The next summer will have doing summer pruning for direction and correction. If you have three trees consider not doing the renewal on all at once so you can still harvest a crop.
Interestingly, I live right on the fringe of the area where we can usually reliably peaches A few miles to the North here in NYS is a crap shoot, due to cold weather, and a stretch of sub-zero weather in winter can kill the fruit buds. Thankfully my nurseryman stocked a lot of cold hardy varieties, and coincidently I happened to buy 3 varieties that produce successively and provide peaches for a couple of months. My Flame Prince produces in early fall and flirts with the cold weather. Despite the climate, I'll match mine against any for flavor. A peach is a real gift from Mother Nature.
Fresh home grown fruit that is tree ripened is a treat anytime, anywhere. Many people have never had this experience. It is something you never forget.
you are the man. thanks for simplifying it for the the average guy
+ravhalken You are very welcome. Thanks for watching my channel. Share and spread the good word.
I am on a second year and not sure if I pruned enough after planting. Seems a little top heavy. Should I leave it till Nov of cut some now. I have a couple peaches I suppose I should take them off also? thank you for responding, I have noticed on other garden videos most people don't respond when asked a question.
Generally peaches from seed are only good to use as root stock for name varieties. We usually either bench or field grow the seedlings for about a year them we graft scions of known quality peaches on to the top and grow them out for a second year before transplanting to their final home. Container growing of the seedlings makes it easier to do the grafting because you can do it on a bench at eye level.
If it has no laterals I would probably just cut the top back a few inches and then wait for winter before I bothered it again. Cutting the top back will force some laterals to develop.
You are correct in assuming an over grown and over loaded peach tree is a danger to it's self. Prune as needed to correct fatal flaws in the trees structure. Try to get into a pattern of annual pruning with peaches. Generally the dormant season is best because it is more difficult to injure the tree at that time. Good luck, a tree ripened peach is a thing of beauty.
I assume it has been in the ground for about 3 years. The first three years is usually when we train the form of the adult tree. Since this wasn't done you will need to find a good structure inside the tree and subtract everything else that grew. The only risk of pruning during fruiting is damage to the crop. If you don't care about the crop or you are careful you can begin training the tree now. You want a short main trunk, 3 to 5 scaffold limbs with open center, like a bowl.
Bill, it is my understanding cankers can develop at the pruning site. Would you recommend the use of a pruning sealer at sites over one inch?
The debate among arborist as to whether pruning sealers are positive or negative still rages on. I sit in the camp of those who use them only on occasion for extremely large wounds and then check on what is happening with them annually after application. The sealers often lift when the wound compartmentalizes and create a water proof pocket for rot to develop. As far as using them to prevent canker goes, they won't help one bit. Cankers are spread by the cutting tools. If you cut an infected area and don't clean your tool before moving you spread the disease as you go. The sealer won't stop this from happening, rubbing alcohol on the tool would be more useful.
You might be a bit early, depends on when spring breaks for you. Pruning about 30 days before spring bud break is usually fine.
@mrilovetheants Multi grafts are one of the most difficult plants to prune. The peach and the nectarine are pruned as per my video. They fruit only on last years wood. The plum fruits on last years wood and spurs that live for many years. After 7 years you could probably cut away 100% of last years growth on the plums and still get a crop. Prune as per the video but make sure to save the short fruit bearing twigs on the plums called spurs
Grest video! What's the best time of year to prune a peach in zone 7?
liz hodgson Prune peaches at the end of winter but before the buds break in spring.
Wonderfully informative! Thanks to you I now feel confident that I can take care of my bartlett pear and satsuma.
An amusing note to anyone reading this. My nectarine has produced every year since I planted it...although I have yet to eat a single piece of fruit from it. Either birds or squirrels eat them all every year. I got smart last year and bought an owl statue with a photoelectric motor in the head to turn it every once in a while. It worked great...watched them nectarines grow nicely all season. Until a heavy wind blew my owl over and I didn't notice...and it seemed like the next day I had no fruit at all on the tree, and a bunch of pits laying on the ground under it as though the critters were flipping me off.
I'm assuming the same principles hold true for my nectarine tree as they do for this peach?
Also, quick question...my nectarine has already bloomed. Is it okay to prune it now or should I wait until next year?
+Rob Quiring If you can get the nectarine pruned with out breaking all the flower buds and leaves off yes, you can prune it now. The soft tissue issue is the main limitation.
Nice one on the owl. I used to have one with a wind powered head but unless it was perfectly straight it didn't turn well. Solar powered head, nice.
Thanks for the feed back on the video.
Need a recipe for squirrel stew?
+GreenGardenGuy1 If I could catch the little buggers, then yeah I pick them off from my deck. I've yet to see what is actually feasting on my fruit. Sneaky little...
+Rob Quiring I have to be forever vigilant about rodents in my orchard too. In California they eat my Walnuts and macadamia nuts. Hawaii is paradise because it has no squirrels.
+GreenGardenGuy1 Hawaii is paradise for a few reasons. :)
I'm determined to get some fruit from that tree at some point in my life
+Rob Quiring Yup, paradise because squirrels can't swim, papayas are 6 for a dollar and Ahi comes in fresh to Hilo every day.
Great Vid... how is the harvest the first year after pruning?
The harvest would be the same as any other year after the tree reaches maturity. Annual pruning on peaches is required in order to limit fruit set and strengthen the tree frame work. The results of not pruning away 60% of last years growth every year on a peach produces lots of small peaches rather than average size fruit and eventually broken limbs or complete tree collapse.
i liked your knowledge provided about the peach but what is the remedy to get rid of the leaf curl ?
Use copper and oil or lime sulfur and oil in November and again in February. th-cam.com/video/jZgDdTSZ-Lo/w-d-xo.html
Awesome pruning n telling how to climb a wall
Glad the video was of use to you.
could those branches have been air layered ,say a month before printing?
I believe the problem with that idea is the timing. You could air layer but the peach is pruned in winter and air layers on peach would not be ready to remove until around August or September. You have to remove 60% of last years growth every winter with peaches. Worrying about what happens to all that would could drive a man crazy. I just let it fall. If you are interested in making use of it the best idea would be grow some root stock using Myrobalan or peach pit seedlings then graft the branches to the root stock as soon as you are finished pruning the tree. I a couple years you will need to buy 40 acres just to plant all those trees!
hey Bill, i got a a peach tree last year form a nursery, which was about 6 feet tall. I don't know the exact age of it. i would say it had about 5-6 really tiny fruits on it. is there a way to make an rough estimate how many fruit it will produce this year?
+Mark balo I don't mean to be a party pooper but generally we spend about three years training the canopy of a peach tree in order to get it right for holding the mature crop. A peach will fruit in the nursery but early fruiting is often at the expense of shaping the mature tree. Focus on getting the tree shaped and buy the peaches at the farmers market for a couple years. I don't believe there is any way for me to predict the crop. That depends on the location, variety, climate, culture and the skill of the gardener. My tree would probably have less peaches this year because I would have clipped the branches trying create good architecture.
Uncle Jesse, how's the Duke Boy's? :-)
Just kidding.
What a great informative video!
Thank You!
I am growing some peaches from seed now.
Do you have advice on clippings, when to clip and root starter?
Subscribed. You and I could be long lost cousins since we share the same attitudes towards pruning ....and squirrels.
Since moving from California to Hawaii I no longer need to worry about squirrels but Cardinals and Myna Birds have become my new arch enemy. Thanks for watching, stay tuned. Bill
If you decide to limit the number of trunks you can do that work at anytime. I would probably limit the number of trunks to about three. Since peaches aren't usually reliably hardy in Chicago having an extra trunk or two would be considered insurance. Otherwise I would recommend doing the annual pruning in March. That should be ahead of the buds breaking for spring but after the worst winter cold. Pruning peachs too early in the winter in your climate isn't a good idea.
Excellent presentation thanks. Short and pertinent.
Thanks. I'm glad i could help.
hello bill thnx for video , my trees are on their 3rd year , is it true that branches that produced fruit won't be abl to produce next year so i should remove all the shoots that already had fruits on it ?
+elektra1984 That's one way to put it. I usually say that peaches only fruit on last years wood. Nothing older, nothing younger. When pruning them i remove about 60% of last years growth. This drives the fruit to the center of the tree and keeps it from over loading. You get less fruit but it will be larger. Pruning them gets to be a pleasant task if you get the hang of it.
+GreenGardenGuy1 well the harvest will end this week , so there won't be enough time to grow more woods (till october) will this mean next year won't be fruits ?
+elektra1984 Now you have me confused. If you have a harvest then the tree grew this year. The wood that is out and beyond the region where fruit formed was this years growth. That is the wood that will make fruit next year. The wood that grows in 2016 makes the fruit for 2017. Your job is to thin it, open the middle of the tree, remove crossed, broken or dead wood and them shorten the fruiting wood by 60% during the winter.
+GreenGardenGuy1 thnx a lot pal , you 've been a great help , if you ever came to egypt you are very welcomed :)
+elektra1984 Thank you, perhaps i need to visit the Sphinx someday.
There are no hard and fast rules to the timing of peach pruning. The only reason most of never prune in bloom is because pruning is a vigorous activity and spring flowers are very tender. In the winter when the tree is dormant you can drag wood through the canopy without effecting soft tissue. I just finished pruning an apricot that had the buds swelled. No damage was done but I was gentle with the wood. Do it, but be gentle otherwise you will shred the soft buds.
Finally!!! I video to help me prune my peach/nectarines. I too will be dealing with the sins of my father. My trees resemble this one and not the ideal orchard setting from so many other videos. Please do a follow up of this tree.
Sorry, I sold the home in California a few years back and moved to Hawaii. Peaches don't grow here so I no longer prune them. A follow up would just be the same thing over and over again anyway. There is no real difference in pruning from one year to the next once you get a system in place. Aloha
Usually fruit size in peaches is dictated by the variety or the density of the fruit set. You said the set was light so we can dismiss over cropping. Not all peaches are the same size, variety matters a lot. A young tree that isn't properly established can also effect fruit. All fruit trees need fertilizer because they are high performance plants. You will do fine with a balanced organic like 5-5-5 or with a product labeled for fruit trees. Even chicken manure will work.
Leave an abundance of last years wood for fruit production but cut all of that wood back by about 50% to avoid over bearing. Enjoy the fruits of you labor.
Damn informative video Mr. Bill !!!
Entertaining and informative. Blew my mind when I saw how much wood you removed, but made plenty sense as you explained each cut. Thank you for sharing, I'm now a new subscriber and I gleamed a lot of info just reading through the comments. Holy peach tree Batman, this guy knows his shit !!! LOL !!!
All the best to you and God bless.
Welcome, new videos almost every week. Working on a container garden video at the moment. Aloha, Bill
thanks. much obliged on all your pruning vids
Hi, greetings from México, i have a question. It's winter, and my peach tree is full of flowers, should i prune it now?
Einrich, It is important that peaches be pruned annually to keep the crop contained to the core of the tree and limit the amount of fruit set. Usually this work is done when the tree is dormant because pruning is a vigorous activity and soft tissue like flower can be easily destroyed in the process. That said, if it was my tree, I would probably prune it anyway but be extra careful not to shred the soft tissues by dragging wood through the tree. Next year mark the period that your tree has no growth and do the work then instead. Bill
Bill, Aloha! Can you answer a question? I have two white peaches in my orchard that I have let go too long without heavy pruning. The branches extend over six feet from the trunk and of course most of the fruiting wood is "way out" so to speak.Is this a situation where I might need to cut way back and wait a year for the tree to develop new fruiting wood? I watched a video from a guy in NZ or Australia. He had cut a peach tree back to just a stump and then retrained the large quantity of shoots that sprang from that back into the shape he wanted. Maybe something I should do for a tree that has gotten out of control? My branches are so long that they hang down quite a bit and all the fruiting wood is quite a ways out from the trunk.
Even if you are doing your annual pruning properly the peach will still need to be cut back hard about every seven years or so. Usually we do this once in the life of a peach tree since the effective baring life of these trees is only 14 to 16 year before we remove and replace. I usually maintain the main trunk and 3 to 5 of the best scaffold limbs. I will stump the limbs back to about 2 or 3 feet from the trunk and re-grow the canopy from there. It takes a year or two to get back to production but the tree will be structurally strong again. The biggest issue is dealing with the profusion of shoots this type of pruning creates. You will spend the next year selectively pruning during the growing season to keep the tree from creating brooms at the ends of the stubbed limbs. Good luck, you are on the right track. Bill
GreenGardenGuy1 Thanks for the quick reply. Your advice rings true. I think I will give it a try on one particular tree that has nothing else to lose. Sort of an experiment.
Good thing. I would go a bit further and consider it basic maintenance in the orchard. While running commercial nursery in California I often had to deal with clients who had under pruned peach trees. It is tragic to watch a good tree collapse under it's own weight and destroy it's self. There was little I could do for people afflicted with this issue other than sell them a new tree along with a book on how to prune properly. Peaches have very weak would and are not forgiving to under pruning. They will often crack away and even destroy the main trunk.
The new fruiting growth at the top of the tree, how do you prune that the following year when it becomes second year wood ?
Exactly the same way. No change. If the tree begins to get too tall over 7 to 8 years time and is still healthy then we do a renewal pruning by shortening all the scaffold limbs an sacrifice fruiting for a year.
GreenGardenGuy1 brilliant! Cheers mate. 👍🏻
I have a 5 in 1 Peach (and related fruits) tree, 1 Nectarine tree, and 4 Plum trees; would this work on all of those?
I should have read the rest of the comments. I think you answered my question.
Perhaps the other garden video guys aren't used to answering questions for people. Peaches in the first three years of life are pruned to develop the central architecture of the mature tree. This consists of a central trunk between 2 and 4 feet high, with three to four main scaffold limbs toped with secondary limbs about 8 to 10 " apart. You can do this pruning during the summer if need be. After the third year you prune 60% of last year growth, thin the limbs and keep the center open.
I have a dwarf bonanza peach tree in a wine barrel in Arizona. Do you think It should still be pruned with an open center?
Peaches are peaches no matter how large or small they grow. I find dwarf peaches to be much harder to prune than the taller type. Growth is very slow and appearance is different. An open center is the correct system. It will allow fruit inside and outside the canopy. With a closed canopy only the outside fruits.
@@GreenGardenGuy1 thanks! I don’t care what utube says, your OK in my book!
@@undercovergardener5632 I was not aware that youtube had anything negative to say about my work.
Also I live in zone 10a, Port Charlotte Florida. When should I expect any yield. I bought the tree from a local nursery and was told it was grown from the University of Florida and somehow cross bred for this climate.(If theres any truth to that?) but anyways the tree was only about 1.5 feet tall with a beginning prune from the bottom to Y off the center, but even then as a very young tree it already had 1 nectarine on it. Well it's 2 .5 years later and I haven't had any new fruit growth. Last week was the first time I pruned and used any fertilizer though also. And which fertilizer would you recommend? I believe I used the wrong kind as I just used some Tomato Miracle Grow . Which I know sounds very dumb in itself but was also told that works just fine..
Daniel, Florida had a breeding program for low chill peaches and nectarines. They released many varieties, most have common names but others have UF names like UFGLO or UFO. Your tree has a proper name somewhere. Miracle Grow will feed a tree but if you read the label it will tell you to apply every 7 to 14 days. Most of us are too busy for that. I use slower release organic fruit tree fertilizer. The brand doesn't matter if you are buyer the higher priced versions with pro biotic cultures. Thanks for the kind words about the video. Bill
I watch this video every year and our peach tree is growing beautifully! Thank you so much!!
The only problem is that every year we have a late frost and we lose all our peaches. It has been 3 years since we've had peaches now. Do you have a suggestion for how to prevent this? We live in NC...our peach tree is in bloom right now and we're supposed to possibly get snow tomorrow. We've tried covering it in past years but we always lose all our peaches anyway. It's been so upsetting!!
There are a few things you can do. Get a later flowering peach that misses the frost. Place a new tree in an area that remains cold late in the spring to delay the bloom. Paint the current tree or any future ones with white latex on the trunk and lower limbs. This will reflect the sun and slow the bloom. Place a foot thick mulch of wood chips and leaves all the way to the drip line. This will keep the soil cold later and slow the bloom. Use frost protection on the current tree to prevent the flowers from freezing.
Thank you so much!!
couple more ideas: Sometimes you can string Christmas lights around tree (the bigger bulb ones), and the heat from them will be enough to prevent the blossoms, or tiny fruitlets, from freezing. You can also plant them in large containers, and move them under a patio or next to the house, which may be warmer.
If you put some Agribon 15 over the lights it will hold in even more heat.
My peach tree has started to have peaches. I didn't know about pruning until my neighbor said I should remove many of the peaches. Is there any pruning I can do now? There are many little branches about 1/8 of an inch with small peaches. Any idea of what to do now?
love this guy
Thank you so much for the feed back. Love is something we can never get enough of. Like BB King says "My Mamma says she loves me but she could be jiving too!" Enjoy the videos. Bill
@fryloc77 Thank you so much. I hope you can make use of the information.
Thank you for all the great info!!!
You are very welcome.
Thank you, it was very easy to follow.
+tobo26 You're welcome, thanks for viewing. Please subscribe and share. Bill
what time of the year is it best to prune my peach tree? I live in southern Indiana.
Because even Southern Indiana can get some pretty sever winter weather and peaches can be a bit tender I suggest pruning during the period where the worst of winter is over but spring hasn't come yet. For you that is probably between late Feb. and late March but you know your local climate better than I do. About three weeks before the break of the pussy willow is a good judge. If you prune in the beginning of winter and then get some sever arctic weather your peaches may get pruned a second time by the cold.
Well done Sir!!!!