Q. Last week I purchased a semi-dwarf Elberta peach from a local nursery to
replace the nectarine I took out. Tree is approximately 65" tall. When I mentioned to one of the salesmen that I was planning to prune
it back to the 4/5 branches that begin about 20" from the ground, up to
about 26", he was pretty adament that this was not as good idea as the
hormones that promote root growth are located at the tips of branches that I
would prune off?
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A. You can do that to this tree but I would wait until winter. Taking the center out of a Peach tree and leaving the lower scaffold limbs is quite common. This is how we train a fruit tree into open center form. One of the major dangers that can occur when we take the center out of a tree, is sunburn to the top surface of the remaining limbs. We can discourage sunburn to these limbs by leaving some smaller branches above this area that might produce some shade to the upper surface of the lower limbs.
The other thing we can do is to whitewash the upper surfaces of the remaining limbs with dilute white latex paint. White latex paint is diluted with water in a 1:1 mixture. You can use more water than this as long as the remaining wood is white. This lighter color will help to reduce sunburn to the limbs. Apply it with a brush.
Most of the
nursery workers do not know how to prune fruit trees. In fact, few do. Looking
at your pictures you could take the top out this next winter.
I remember that when I purchased my last tree from the
orchard the gardener there recommended that I cut it back to about 24" tall.
So, the only thing I can think of for conflicting
instructions is the nursery tree had leafed out and the Orchard one was
dormant? Anyway, any advice would be greatly appreciated. Also, if
you recommend pruning, should I do it now or wait until the tree goes dormant?
A. You can do that to this tree but I would wait until winter. Taking the center out of a Peach tree and leaving the lower scaffold limbs is quite common. This is how we train a fruit tree into open center form. One of the major dangers that can occur when we take the center out of a tree, is sunburn to the top surface of the remaining limbs. We can discourage sunburn to these limbs by leaving some smaller branches above this area that might produce some shade to the upper surface of the lower limbs.
The other thing we can do is to whitewash the upper surfaces of the remaining limbs with dilute white latex paint. White latex paint is diluted with water in a 1:1 mixture. You can use more water than this as long as the remaining wood is white. This lighter color will help to reduce sunburn to the limbs. Apply it with a brush.
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| Taking the center out of peach tree to make an open center form. |
There is a precaution on peaches I should mention. If the
diameter of the wood you are cutting on the main trunk is more than about ¾
inch with no side branches below the cut you may have trouble getting more
branches to “sprout” from below the cut. But if you cut the trunk out to just
above at least a couple of good side branches you will have no trouble. Don’t
forget to paint the tree with diluted white latex paint to prevent sunburn
after you make your cuts this next winter.
Another thing. You are going to have problems with that Peach tree if it remains in rock mulch in our desert soils.
Another thing. You are going to have problems with that Peach tree if it remains in rock mulch in our desert soils.
My comments based upon that photograph would be: 1. Remove the nursery stake. Like right now, I already don't like the taper on the trunk down low compared to the remainder of the tree. Hopefully it will stand up on its own and doesn't need to be temporarily staked, but if it does do it properly.
ReplyDelete2. That watering well is adequate for the initial planting. But after the first 6-8 weeks a 4 foot diameter well should be established. And after the 12th week in the ground that 1 ft diameter well should be kept dry. Looks like 2 drip irrigators (bubblers) on either side are used. Adequate for initially but will need to be moved progressively out to the 4 foot perimeter and depending upon the soil more will need to be added. Also the flows and time optimized to deliver 2-4 feet depth of water infrequently.
3. Rock mulch works, but it is pretty harsh in the infrared it reflects and absorbs during the summer on a small young tree.
4. That tree is too well developed to risk cutting back to 24" IMHO as remaining dormant buds may be not so remaining that low on the tree. The open center works great, but look over your branch structure carefully after the tree has gone dormant (easier to evaluate without the leaves and gentler cut) and select 3-4 branches down low and coming off in desired radiating pattern to determine your central leader removing cut. Otherwise you may end up with a single branch coming out of a short trunk and hoping it grows upward to become a new central leader so you can cut it back and hope for good branching the next year. Generally on a tree that far along the central leader removing cut is going to end up somewhere around 36-44" in height depending on branching.
After listening to a neighbor comment that she was told to leave three main branches as they cut back a newly bought peach tree from a nearby Walmart, I decided to investigate this idea. While I have found some commentators provide a similar rule-of-thumb, there are some differences. However, in general, I think I would want to try this idea out. Thanks for your image and comments.
ReplyDeleteI have found, in the desert, to protect the trunk from sun damage when it is young is very important for its long term health and vigor. In nondesert areas shading is not as important. Controlling damage from the sun helps to control damage from borers. As it gets about six or seven years, old natural shade from the tree’s lowest limbs helps to control borers.
ReplyDeleteTo do this, pick a tree from the nursery that has lower limbs as low on the trunk as possible. I like trees that have limbs so low that I must remove them to get the right height. Ideally you want limbs on the tree lower than knee height to get enough to remove. Usually this means selecting a smaller tree as nursery practices remove lower limbs and favor a “clean” trunk and then up to a canopy of limbs and leaves. Avoid choosing trees with a “clean trunk”.
Once planted, remove limbs that will touch the ground when bearing fruit. The idea is to have productive limbs as low on the trunk (to prevent sun damage) as you can get them. Fruit touching the ground oftentimes rot. The reason for keeping lower limbs is to shade the trunk AND harvest fruit that is as low on the tree as possible. Fruit easiest to pick without using a ladder is favored.