Nectarines are a mutation of the peach. Their aroma triggers the longing for summer and sun. Early ripening varieties enable a harvest at the beginning of summer, while late varieties produce fruit until the beginning of autumn.
When is nectarine season?
The nectarine season in Germany extends from mid-July to early September, while imported goods from European countries, especially Spain, are available in supermarkets as early as May.
Harvest time
In Germany there are some fruit farmers who are dedicated to growing nectarines. This has the advantage that the fruits are delivered to the customer freshly harvested with a full aroma. The harvest season for these home-grown trees extends from mid-July to early September. Goods imported from European countries will be available in supermarkets from May. It comes from regions on the Mediterranean such as Spain.
Cultivate in the garden
Imported fruits must be harvested unripe so that they survive transport undamaged. Since they no longer fully ripen, they taste less aromatic than nectarines that have been harvested when ready to eat. Under the right conditions, a nectarine tree can be grown from a seed, so you can pick aromatic fruit from your garden yourself.
Preparations and cultivation
Dry the core for a month at room temperature and then put it in a planter with loose potting soil. The hole should be 15 centimeters deep. Place the pot in a mini greenhouse (€31.00 on Amazon) where you can ensure temperatures of 24 degrees. Moisten the substrate occasionally. If you cover the soil with mulch, you will have to use the flower sprayer less often. It takes up to 30 days for the first cotyledons to appear.
How to care for the tree:
- Place the trees in a brighter place and get them used to sunny conditions
- Keep the substrate a little moister and avoid waterlogging
- Put outside from May and repot if necessary
Planting out
Nectarine trees are partially hardy. The young plant spends the cold season in a frost-free winter quarters for the first few years. In mild regions, the trees can be planted in the garden. Cultivation in a bucket that spends the summer outdoors is possible without any problems. The fruit trees thrive in a wind-protected and sunny location where the soil ensures humus-rich, loose and rather acidic conditions. A mixture of sand and humus is ideal.
Promote fruit ripening
The peach variety reacts extremely sensitively to waterlogging. If you want to obtain high yields, you must ensure a well-drained and very fertile soil and carry out irrigation with care. Regular watering has a positive effect on fruit size and number even in humid regions when there are long dry periods. Watering on shallow soils is particularly important. A layer of mulch ensures even soil moisture.
Tip
If the tree has set buds or is in the middle of flowering, it must not be exposed to sub-zero temperatures. Even a few degrees below freezing point damages the flower systems. The trees are well protected on a south-facing house wall.
