Grocery store peaches can't compare to homegrown, sun-ripened peaches. At Gurney's, we take growing peaches seriously, and are always on the lookout for the best-tasting peaches for home gardeners. Our peach trees for sale include the best varieties for warmer climates, as well as the best cold-hardy peach varieties. Looking for the best white peach tree, best early peach or best peach tree for small spaces? We've got you covered on that too.
How to Grow Peaches
Peach Trees for Sale by Gurney's
How do you select the best peach tree for your yard or orchard?
When choosing a peach tree, first consider your grow zone. Some varieties are more cold hardy and suitable for Northern gardens, while others grow best in the South. Also, take into account the space you have available. Gurney's offers peach trees in standard size and the more manageable Reachables® size. Next, consider whether the peach variety is a clingstone or freestone. For canning, freestones are often preferred. Last, but not least, keep the taste in mind. Select one of our peach tree varieties that promises the peach flavor you crave.
Choosing the Right Peach Tree
Sun-ripened peaches are a delight to eat fresh, cut up and served over ice cream, and made into pies or desserts. They're also good for jams, freezing and canning. When selecting peach trees to grow, gardeners have lots of choices. Here are some tips to help you decide on the right peach tree.
Hardiness Zones and Chill Hours for Peach Trees
When selecting peach trees to grow, find a peach variety that can grow in your hardiness zone. Because peach trees can be damaged by late spring frosts, northern growers should select trees that are cold hardy.
Southern growers should select varieties that can grow in warmer climates. Peach trees need chill hours. Chill hours are the number of hours that the temperature stays at 32-45°F after the tree goes dormant in the fall. Chill hours must be met for your tree to bloom, leaf out and thrive. Southern growers should look for peach tree varieties with lower chill hour requirements.
Freestone vs. Clingstone
Peaches are either clingstones, where the flesh clings to the pit, or freestones, where the flesh separates easily from the pit. Freestones are preferred for fresh eating while clingstones are often used for canning.
Peach Tree Sizes
Standard peach trees usually grow 18-25 ft. tall (though they can be pruned to a shorter height) while dwarf fruit trees, or Reachables fruit trees, grow 6-8 ft. tall. They don't require as much space and are easier to prune and harvest.
Pollination
Some peach trees require another peach tree for proper pollination. Other peach trees are self-pollinating or self-fertile and don't require another tree for pollination. However, they may produce more fruits with a second tree. If you are growing just one peach tree, make sure it's a self-pollinating variety.
- When to prune peach trees?
The best time to prune peach trees is in late winter to early spring. - When do peach trees bloom?
Peach trees bloom in the spring. Depending on the climate, this may be between early March and mid April. - How to care for peach trees?
In addition to pruning your peach tree, peach trees benefit from annual fertilization. Also, the fruits may need to be thinned when they are about the size of a quarter. As with your other garden plants, you should monitor peach trees for signs of insect damage and disease. - When do peach trees bear fruit?
Peach trees can bear fruit 1-4 years after planting. Usually dwarf varieties bear fruits in 1-3 years while standard-sized peach trees bear fruits in 2-4 years.
