A Detailed Guide to Peach Tree Planting Methods and Key Technical Points

The peach tree is a deciduous small tree of the genus Prunus in the rose family (Rosaceae), a subtropical economic crop that loves light and warmth. Its fruit is also one of the most popular fruits, sweet and juicy with rich nutrition. So, what are the planting methods for peach trees? Let's find out together!

1. Planting Methods

The planting spacing for peach trees is 4 by 4 m or 3 by 4 m, with a planting density of 35-55 trees per mu. Planting can be done from autumn to the spring of the following year. Continuous cropping is not allowed, otherwise young trees will show weak growth, leaf chlorosis, and new roots turning brown with many branches.

2. Fertilization Methods

Peach trees should be fertilized reasonably. Throughout the entire growth period, the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium required by peach trees is approximately 2:1:2. During the juvenile stage, care should be taken to control nitrogen fertilizer application, otherwise it easily causes excessive vegetative growth. After the full fruiting stage, increasing nitrogen fertilizer can boost fruit yield.

① Base fertilizer: Base fertilizer should be applied in autumn together with deep plowing. Applying base fertilizer early allows damaged roots to heal faster and increases the accumulation of nutrients in the tree before winter. When fertilizing in spring, it should be applied as early as possible, immediately after the ground thaws.

② Topdressing: Pre-bloom fertilizer is applied after the spring thaw, mainly urea; post-bloom fertilizer is mainly phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; fruit-swelling fertilizer is mainly diammonium fertilizer; post-harvest fertilizer replenishes tree consumption, mainly diammonium fertilizer with a small amount of urea.

3. Pruning Branches and Leaves

Peach trees love light and warmth and grow vigorously during the growing season. Without proper pruning, fruit set may be affected, and tree shape may even become abnormal, so branches and leaves must be pruned correctly.

① Juvenile stage: Peach seedlings grow vigorously with strong sprouting and branching ability. When pruning, expand the canopy and cultivate strong scaffold branches.

② Full fruiting stage: Pruning during the full fruiting stage of peach trees involves heavy cutting at the middle and lower parts of the tree or fruit-bearing branch groups. Pay attention to cultivating renewal shoots from the base, leaving 2-5 nodes depending on branch vigor. Keep strong branches and cut away weak ones; cut away short fruit branches and keep long, thick fruit branches.

③ Growing season: During the growing season, judge the quality and nature of branches based on growth vigor, thickness, and position. Decide whether to prune on a plant-by-plant basis. Generally, cut away competing branches, thin and weak branches, densely growing branches, and drooping branches.

4. Pest and Disease Control

1. Disease control

Focus on controlling anthracnose, brown rot, and peach bacterial shot hole. Options include 50% carbendazim powder at 600 times dilution, or 70% thiophanate-methyl at 1000 times, or 50% zineb at 700 times for control. Disease prevention before bagging peach fruit should be done no fewer than 2 times.

2. Pest control

There are many common pests of peach trees, and control methods differ for each. For peach fruit moth, slug moth, and leaf roller moth, spray 4.5% beta-cypermethrin at 1500 times plus chlorpyrifos at 2000 times for control; for pests such as stink bugs, scale insects, and pear lace bugs, add beta-cypermethrin at 1500 times and 60% dimethoate-malathion emulsifiable concentrate at 1500 times; for red spider mites, spray 20% fenbutatin oxide wettable powder (dazhuling, fenpyroximate) at 1500-2000 times dilution for control.

The above is the peach tree planting method compiled by Tuliu.com. Peach tree cultivation has good economic prospects, and its fruit has strong market demand. If conditions allow, investing in peach cultivation is worth considering.