skip to main content

Fruit & Orchards

What do I do? Peaches and Plums

13 years ago

Hi eveyone, not familiar with these 2 trees and I think I messsed up on my purchase from Wilis Orchard. I bought these trees last week, both ranging in the 4-6 ft range. I found out that 1-2 ft trees should be bought, but didnt find this out till after I put them in the ground. I read alittle about these guys saying they should be trained to mimic a bowl shape. Well I topped my one peache, now its at a height of 4ft with 4 branches all the way around that I cut back to 2 in. Was that a bad idea? Should I do this to my plum also, even though buds have just opend? what else can I do to them. Oh and my Red Baron looks to flower this year, first week in the ground. Should I cut this back and leave 4 branches. How tall should I leave them. All trees are as thick as a middle finger, or just a tad smaller.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

dallasfruitgrower
13 years ago
I wouldn't stress too much.

I've successfully transplanted several large bare-root trees. Some even as large as 8 feet. Although they didn't all leaf out, the majority did. I bought some of them from Willis. If they don't leaf out, just take advantage of the warranty. I prefer the bigger trees because they bore fruit faster for me.

I wouldn't start pruning the tree that is already flowering. I'd wait until next year.

I'm pretty carefree in how I prune my trees the first year, and they have all been pretty forgiving.

Some of the other people can probably give you pretty solid advice on specific pruning.
Scott F Smith
13 years ago
Theres nothing wrong with a large tree, the only problem is you pay a lot more for it. Don't cut a branch back to 2", thats basically like removing the whole branch.

Pruning is a complex topic so there is no easy answer to how to prune, but if you want to do a vase shape it is good to top them now. Keep any side shoots that are still there at the topping point, I usually shorten them by half or so. There are many good articles on the web on how to prune to a vase so pick one of them and follow it over the years. I typed something into Google and for example the link below looks good. Peaches do really well as vases and plums also do well.

Scott

Here is a link that might be useful: vase pruning
Related Discussions
Plums, nectarines, peaches that do not double as hockey pucks.
Q
Comments (6)
Santa rosa is excellent, you will see red on it when it is ripe. Never saw that until I grew them. Burgundy is awesome and stays on tree like pluots for a while. Methley is so juicy, my wife calls it her tree and does not want me to eat any. Beauty is good but not as good as Santa Rosaas far as I am concerned. I don't buy peaches, nectarines or p,ums for grocery store they just are not the same as home grown. Ate one early nectarine tonight it was so good.
...See More
I have 25 lbs of peaches - and no clue what to do!
Q
Comments (3)
Since you are working with a limited time frame I'd freeze them all now and then use them when you have time to make what you want. Just sugar pack them (see below) and they can be used for anything later. Easy and fast to do. Much faster and easier than trying to make jam and pie filling etc. in 2 days. If you can them then you would be re-canning already canned food later and that is no efficient or recommended. Dave Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP-How to freeze peaches
...See More
Plum tree insect damage - what can I do?
Q
Comments (11)
Yes, good idea, I now have 2 tough plum rootstocks - 1 here and 1 from a failed peach tree. I'll have to make that new skill jump sometime. Is there a decent simple guide for someone with zero knowledge on grafting?
...See More
What do I do with my Empress Peach
Q
Comments (57)
The peach this year is doing well, but it did not set any blossoms. I had 2 and one I kept in the cold room (last year it was in a cooler at about 2C. I didn't want to run the large cooler for just one or two plants as I did not have anything else that needed it as well this winter). Not cost effective. The other I packed under sawdust in an outbuilding where it got to -25C. I brought it in potted it up and it leafed out as well as bloomed and then died. I neglected to remember that for many grafted trees it is not only the frost hardiness of the top but also the rootstock that is important. The fact that the top of the tree was loaded with viable green leaf buds tells me the Empress peach is frost tolerant but the rootstock is not. I would not suggest -25C for this peach. The number of flower buds was not as great as the cooler specimen was the year before.
...See More
alan haigh
13 years ago
In Europe nurseries provide well branched apple trees that are used commercially to accelerate harvests by a full year. These are transplanted from the nurseries bare root.

In Australia, Bas van dan Ende has developed a system of transplanting 2 year up to 2" diameter bare root peach trees that are well branched to begin harvests the first year. These trees are dug up from the nursery carefully to preserve as much root as possible. Here's a link to an interesting article about how they do it. http://www.goodfruit.com/Good-Fruit-Grower/August-2009/Plant-the-canopy-dont-grow-it/

Larger is better if there is a similar ratio of root to top between a smaller and larger tree. In America they usually tear up the roots so much that it can be preferable to start with smaller trees.

Related Stories

EDIBLE GARDENS Grow Plum Hybrids for Your Favorite Fruit Flavors

By Marianne Lipanovich

Plums are cozying up with apricots, peaches and even cherries — here’s how to grow these hybrids for the best aspects of each

FRUIT TREES How to Grow Your Own Juicy Plums

By Marianne Lipanovich

Easier than other stone fruits and with a variety of colors to choose from, plums are a versatile garden addition

COLOR Best Ways to Use Exclusive Plum, Sherwin-Williams’ Color of 2014

By Jennifer Ott Design

Pretty, moody, maybe even a neutral, this toned-down grayish purple can work in any room. Here's how

COLOR Color Guide: How to Work With Plum

By Samantha Schoech

Glam or grounding, this luscious, vibrant hue can bring richness to rooms from old-world traditional to minimalist modern

COLOR Spring Forecast: Dare to Love Peach Again

By Erika Ward - Erika Ward Interiors

8 Succulent Spaces Show How to Welcome Peach Back Home

EDIBLE GARDENS How to Grow Your Own Peaches and Nectarines

By Marianne Lipanovich

Make gardening a little sweeter with these juicy fruits, which you can eat after plucking or preserve for later

HOUZZ TOURS Houzz Tour: Georgia Peach Grows California Roots

By Vanessa Brunner

Southern Glamour and Bay Views Combine in Lush San Francisco Home

FUN HOUZZ Everything I Need to Know About Decorating I Learned from Downton Abbey

Mind your manors with these 10 decorating tips from the PBS series, returning on January 5

LIFE You Said It: ‘Just Because I’m Tiny Doesn’t Mean I Don’t Go Big’

By Becky Harris

Changing things up with space, color and paint dominated the design conversations this week

SHOP HOUZZ Houzz Products: Save a Taste of Summer

Can't bear to part with the flavors of summer peaches, berries and tomatoes? Then jam on it!

Sponsored

More Discussions

Peach trees need help!

1

Whats wrong with my apple tree?

18

Peach tree dead buds

2

beginning fruit or new leaves

6

Beginner apple tree initial care

0