How to Transplant a Peach Tree

If you want a bountiful supply of fresh peaches, then try planting your own peach tree. While the fruit is delicious to eat, peach trees add beauty and color to any landscape. The trees require a lot of attention once transplanted in a new location. You must choose a spot where they will receive direct sunlight without any shade. Transplant your peach tree in the spring for optimal results. After the third and fourth growing seasons, the branches of peach trees need thinning to allow the fruits to grow to their full potential.

Things You'll Need

• Peach tree
• Gardening shovel
• Compost
• 10-10-10 fertilizer
• Garden hose or watering can

Instructions

1. Find a location where the tree will receive direct sunlight. Make sure the tree will not touch power lines, interfere with underground utilities or obstruct buildings.

2. Dig the hole for the peach tree. Make the hole two times bigger than the root ball. The hole needs to be larger than the container in order to spread the roots out into the ground.

3. Combine compost and tree fertilizer with the soil. Use 10-10-10 fertilizer, or a fertilizer with plenty of phosphorus.

4. Add a small amount of soil back into the hole. This helps the roots settle into the soil once it begins growing.

5. Lay the container on its side. Tap the bottom and sides of the container until the dirt becomes loose. Carefully tip the tree to slide it out of its container.

6. Lift the tree off the ground and place it in the hole. Loosen the soil around the root ball, but be careful not to damage the roots. Separate the roots and spread them out to make sure they contact the soil.

7. Plant the tree level with the ground and at the same depth that it was growing in the pot. You will need to adjust the soil levels accordingly. Make sure you keep the tree straight when adding the soil.

8. Add the soil mixed with the fertilizer back into the hole. Pack the soil tightly around the peach tree.

9. Water the tree in well. You may need to add more soil if it caves in once you begin watering the tree. Continue watering the tree daily for a week, and then water it weekly.

10. Add ½ pound of fertilizer 7 to 10 days after transplanting to ensure the health of the tree. Mature peach trees need a pound of fertilizer twice a year during the growing season.

References

• About Fruit Trees: Pruning Fruit Trees
• Ohio State University: Growing Peaches and Nectarines in the Home Landscape
• Thrifty Fun: Transplanting Spy Apple Plants