Peach Tree Bonsai Cultivation Methods and Technical Key Points

  Peaches are not only beautiful in appearance, with delicate flesh, but also rich in nutrients and excellent in flavor, making them very popular with consumers. It is precisely because of the large market demand for peaches that many places in our country have made peach cultivation a leading industry for development. At a cooperative in Dahei Town, Liaozhong County, Shenyang City, we saw peaches grown in flower pots; not only can fresh peaches be eaten all year round, but their growing method can also achieve high yields.

  Below is an introduction to peach tree bonsai cultivation methods.

  Varieties:

  Bonsai peaches are grown mainly for ornamental purposes, so the main choices are excellent late-maturing varieties with early fruiting, easy flower formation, large fruit, and good quality, such as Zhonghua Shoutao, Yangtun Jutao, Shinchuanakajima, Zhongtao No. 21, Ruipan No. 4, and other varieties.

  Seedling sources:

  There are many peach varieties. For pot cultivation, varieties with large fruit, good color, dwarf tree habit, good natural form, late maturity, and a long ornamental period should be selected. Common ones include Shouxingtao, flat peach, and snow peach. Peach tree bonsai seedlings are usually obtained through grafting. The rootstocks are generally mountain peach, wild peach, and Nanking cherry, among others.

  Flower pots:

  Generally, clay pots with a diameter of 30 cm and a height of 25 cm are chosen, because clay pots are loose and porous in texture, making it easy to drain excess water from the pot and allow air circulation, suitable for root development, and they are cheap, light, and convenient to use.

  Nutrient soil:

  Nutrient soil must not only be rich in nutrients but also have good air permeability. There are generally two mixing methods. One method is 4 parts garden soil, 4 parts humus soil, and 2 parts cinder and sand; this nutrient soil is suitable for newly transplanted small seedlings. The other method is 6 parts garden soil, 2 parts humus soil, and 2 parts cinder; this mix is mostly suitable for cultivating mature seedlings.

  Potting and planting:

  1. Planting time: Potting should be done after spring sprouting or after leaf fall in autumn. At this time, plant growth is in a relatively slow state, stored nutrients are abundant, and after potting it is easy for roots to develop and for the plant to survive.

  2. Seedling selection: Choose seedlings with well-developed root systems, many fibrous roots, appropriate trunk thickness and height, beautiful tree shape, even branching, and vigorous growth.

  3. Potting method: First check whether the bottom of the flower pot is unobstructed, then cover the hole with a broken pot piece with the convex side facing up to avoid soil leakage or blockage. When planting, the roots should be spread out and in close contact with the soil. The planting depth should be just enough to cover the original soil surface of the seedling, and the graft union should be exposed above the soil surface. The pot soil should be filled to 80 percent full to facilitate watering. After potting, water thoroughly.

  Peaches have very strong sprouting ability. Generally, when one-year-old small seedlings are potted, they bloom in the same year. In the second year, they can bear fruit for viewing. For the matching pot, a plain glazed pot, purple clay pot, or wooden pot can be chosen. The pot soil should be loose, breathable, and slightly acidic or slightly alkaline soil with a pH value of 4.5-7.5.