Growing Peaches

By Andrew Weidman
Published on June 12, 2018

There are two kinds of people in the world: Those who swoon over the aroma and flavor of a ripe peach and those who have never tasted one. A lot of people don’t even realize they’ve never actually tasted a ripe peach. The peaches you buy in the supermarket have often been picked green, shipped, and are lacking in taste. But a truly fresh peach is one you won’t soon forget.

Peaches should be a symbol for eating local, as a peach at its prime is too delicate to ship. A peach, tree-ripened until it practically picks itself, is soft with fuzzy skin and heavy with juice, its skin streaked and dappled in shades of gold, orange, red, and maroon. The warm fragrance alone is a showstopper, intoxicatingly sweet, and that first bite always delivers. Then you get into the desserts: Sliced peaches with yogurt or over ice cream, doused with heavy cream, or maybe a bowlful sprinkled with just a little sugar. Peach pie is a subject all its own, including no-bake glaze-coated fresh peach pie with whipped cream, baked peach pie with a flaky crust, and baked dried-peach pie. Throw in peach cobbler for good measure. And let’s not forget home-canned peaches, whole, halved, or sliced, and spiced if you like. Or peach butter, jelly, and jam. Peaches can be pressed for cider, and even distilled into brandy.

For most Americans, finding a local source for peaches isn’t too difficult. There are peach varieties that will grow from Zone 4 to Zone 8. Most orchards devote large stretches of acreage to peach trees, and many offer pick-your-own programs. Peach season runs from mid-July through August. In season, most orchard stands offer fresh peaches in batches ranging from pints to half-bushels. There will probably also be a basket or two of “seconds.” These are the ripest peaches you can get, and the ones you want to take home with you. Sure, some of them may have a few bruises, and you’ll need to use them before the week is out, but I guarantee you will not find a better tasting peach.

A home for your peach tree

Should you choose to try your hand at peach culture, you’ll need to consider variety, location, pruning form, insect and disease pressures, spray schedules, and orchard cleanup. There are more than 300 varieties of peaches available in the United States, some better suited for Southern orchards, and others for Northern climates. Talk to your local state extension office for advice tailored to your climate and conditions.

Once you’ve selected your variety, take some time to find the best place to plant it. Select a spot in full sun, on the south side of a slope, about midway between the crest and the valley. This placement allows cold air to drain away from your tree on frosty spring nights, while sheltering it from drying winter winds. More peach crops are lost to winterkill and late frosts than to any other problem. It also helps provide better soil drainage, as peaches cannot tolerate “wet feet.” They do best in sandy loam rich in organic matter.

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