I also got a dwarf peach tree

[grawrc]

This is really the same question as my lemon tree thread but I thought I'd keep them separate in case I got confused!!

Another of my Xmas presents was a dwarf peach tree in a pot. Do you think people know I like gardening? It its currently sitting in my relatively cool verging on cold porch. It seems to be dormant at the moment but looks as though it will produce buds in the not too distant future.. The soil seems pretty dry and I have not watered it so far. I wrap it up in fleece overnight but try to let it get a couple of hours without the fleece every day. My intention is to put it in my new greenhouse on my allotment once it is built and move it outside in the summer. Meantime it can stay in the porch. Like with the lemon tree I have no experience whatever in growing peaches and really don't know where to start.

So how do I care for it? When/how often does it get fed/ watered? What sort of temperatures are right for it? All advice very welcome!

[grawrc]

[betula]

The people who choose your Xmas pressies must be Fab people.

That is as much as I know about Peach Tree's  ;D

[manicscousers]

our peach tree is in the ground at the plot, doesn't need any protection, yours might be different as it's in a pot, needs a bit of cover in spring, think it's from feb, against peach leaf curl, either that or you spray  :(
anyway, enjoy your presents, home grown peaches are so much better than shop bought, we got 7 last year  :P

[grawrc]

The person who gave it to me apparently had to ask how much it was because there was no price tag. It turned out it was a "trial" tree from the growers for the garden centre to assess. When he explained it was a Xmas present they let him buy it. So it's a bit of a dark horse!

I had thought about growing it in the ground once the better weather arrives but I think the weather here might be too cold and other folk at the allotments who've done so have had poor crops and problems with peach leaf curl, so I thought I'd compromise.

[Stevens706]

I've had one for 2 years now, I over winter it in the conservatory, don't really water it until if starts to open, you will need to hand pollinate the flowers and put it outside when it has warmed up and in sunshine if possible. Keep checking the fruit for ripeness and pick when ripe as they will just fall off if you leave them too long and be damaged. Thinking of how I can catch them in a net this year.

[grawrc]

This morning it has its first green leaf and the tips of the buds are showing pink. Exciting!! ::) ::)

[emmy1978]

peach trees and kittens? how lovely.  :)

[grawrc]

And I had the first lemon from my lemon tree last night! Spoilt I am! :-[

[Vinlander]

Traditional peaches are very hardy (though they like a smash-and-grab style spring).

Unfortunately some of the exotica that go into breeding a patio peach can result in tenderness. I've lost two to frost in !London! The real killer seems to be letting water stand in the branches while it freezes.

Peaches should get tougher as they get older, meanwhile...

If you can't manage to bring it inside during this harsh winter then at least keep it dry. You'll need to keep it dry until April anyway if you don't want leaf curl (or you could get rid of it with fungicide - though the ones that work are all very, very dodgy).

[Ofer]

Wow, draw peach tree is a great present
and a great thing to have in any garden/allotment!

the tree actually needs cold temp but small ones can be a bit more sensitive.

True conditions of wet and very cold are dangerous,
better to plant in a place that water will not stand- not clay soil and if so than create an area that is a bit higher than the rest just 1ft higher.

Do not cover the exposed area of the stem with soil.

next issue is to get it to fruit and than make sure the birds/flys wont be faster than you.

Once you will get fruit -you will find it is one of the best X-mass presents!
peaches from the tree are so much tastier-

I once had about 4 or 5- it was amazing .

[grawrc]

This is what it looked like a couple of weeks ago. It's totally covered with blossom now. [attachment=1]

[manicscousers]

isn't the blossom lovely, you're going to have to hand pollinate it now  ;D

[grawrc]

Can you clue me up on that please? I have a small paintbrush ready and waiting. Do I just place it inside each flower one after another or does it have to be more precise than that?

[manicscousers]

you have to dust the pollen from one flower to another, I waited until the flowers were very open then just went from one to another, they used to have a rabbit's tail  ;D
btw, I managed to get 12 altogether last year and that was the first time I'd tried