How to Prune a Georgia Peach Tree
Georgia is famous for its plump, juicy peaches. It is, after all, the "Peach State." According to the Georgia Peach Commission, Georgia peach farmers grow over 40 different varieties of peaches and produce over 130 million pounds of the fuzzy-skinned fruit each year. If you are caring for your own Georgia peach tree, pruning it is a vital part of keeping it healthy and ensuring maximum fruit production year after year. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Prune your peach tree every year in mid- to late-February, after the last frost but prior to the first signs of new foliage.
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Use a clean, sharp pair of pruning or lopping shears. Cut branches and twigs at the apex where the offending limb meets a main branch.
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Clear away dead leaves, old fruit, dangling twigs, diseased branches or any other debris.
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Cut off any branches or twigs that have grown on the lowest 3 feet of the tree. Be especially mindful to cut away all rootstock suckers, which are small branches or twigs that sprout on the base of the tree.
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Cut off branches that grow vertically, in a downward direction, toward the center of the tree, circle around other branches or cross over each other.
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Remove all water sprouts. Fragile, vertical branches that sprout from the sturdier, main branches of the peach tree, water sprouts produce inferior fruit and keep essential sunlight from nourishing the healthier peaches.
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Clear away smaller branches at the center of the tree, even if they are healthy and are growing in the right direction. An open "center" permits healthy air circulation and allows sunlight to bathe and warm the tree.
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Tips & Warnings
Protect your hands, arms and eyes while you prune. Wear gardening gloves, long sleeves and protective goggles.
Broken and diseased branches and twigs attract insects. Remove them immediately upon discovery.
Georgia is rife with insects in the summer. Whether you choose to use organic or commercial insecticides, it is important to protect your peach tree from damaging insects like peach borers and Japanese beetles.
