Growing your own tree is a lot of fun - especially when it bears fruit for the first time after about three to four years. Peaches - with the exception of the true varieties - are best propagated from cuttings.
How to propagate a peach tree?
Cuttings are best suited for propagating a peach tree: In spring, cut off 10-15 cm long, non-woody young shoots, remove flower buds and place the shoot in potting soil. The tree grows and produces fruit after about 3-4 years.
How to propagate using cuttings
This type of propagation occurs in early spring. Select suitable, non-woody young shoots from the previous year and cut them to a length of 10 to 15 centimeters. The interface should be slanted to make it easier for the cutting to absorb water and thus root. Also remove flower buds, as these deprive the cutting of the strength it needs for root development. Now put the shoot with the interface facing down in a small pot with potting soil (€6.00 on Amazon).
Care of the cutting
- Place the pot in a warm and bright place - between 20 and 25 °C is optimal
- keep the soil evenly moist but not wet
- be patient - peaches take a long time to take root
- cultivate the cutting in the pot until next spring
- then it should be strong enough to plant it outdoors in a protected spot
- do not fertilize the cutting until it has developed roots
Refine peaches if possible
Most peach varieties in Germany are refined, i.e. H. grafted onto foreign stems and roots. This measure is intended to ensure that the roots of the heat-loving peaches do not freeze in winter frost. However, there are also comparatively winter-hardy varieties that can either be used as a base for higher quality peaches or grown as a peach tree themselves. The Revita peach, for example, is well suited because it is characterized by its high resistance to diseases and bad weather conditions.
Pulling the peach out of the pit
Of course you can also grow your peach tree from a seed. However, the truest varieties such as the foothill peach are best suited for this. Although you will most likely be able to grow a tree from a supermarket peach, you will not know what variety it is or what conditions it requires. Plus, you never know what to expect with a pitted peach - unlike a seedling, which is genetically identical to the mother plant.
Tips & Tricks
If you want to grow your peach tree from a seed, you have to stratify it before germination, i.e. H. Store in a box with moist sand in a dark and cool place over the winter. However, please do not put the kernels in the freezer, as they are no longer capable of germinating when frozen.
