I have been looking through several guides but none exactly tell me how to prune this weird type of growth.
Tree A
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Hi Sliz,
This tree may have never been pruned to any specific shape in mind, so it’s developed a lot of weak crotch angles that ultimately threaten to break scaffolds off if fruit loads get too heavy. That lower larger branch growing up to the left off the main trunk is an excellent example of a weak, undesirable crotch angle. Several of the larger ones up around 8’-9’ high also are weak and should be removed. It also seems to be following the call of the sun as it grows towards heaven! So those to me seem to be your greatest challenge. You may not find guidance that tells you exactly what to do, but I’m posting several references that provide examples based on age of the tree.
Since tall trees only get taller unless topped, I think this is your first decision: I would top both at a comfortable reach of about 7-8’ high. Then I would look for and mark those lower branches that are growing nearly horizontal; these are you strongest ones to preserve. Then I would prune off all those branches below about 3’-4’ high and all those with acute angles wanting to grow more vertical than horizontal. My goal would be to train all the stronger branches you save so they can be trained over about 2-3 years to completely fill in the full circle around the trunk to maximize sun exposure and assure that the upper branches are not casting a shade over lower branches. Ultimately an open vase, not central leader will be achieved.
I would wait until springtime to make these pruning cuts since you will be leaving large scars that can more quickly be covered with new spring growth.
Dennis
Kent, Wa
Pruning a Young Peach Tree
Pruning a Two-Year Old Peach Tree
Olpea’s pruning advice and video: Note pruning while in bloom!
Virginia’s illustrated Peach tree pruning based on age of tree, very good:
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In addition to Dennis comments, I might add that it looks like the rootstock pushed up a leader (sometimes called a sucker) which is competing with the grafted portion of the tree.
I don’t know which leader is the grafted portion of the tree. Sometimes the rootstock leader will have more vigor than the grafted portion and will thus outgrow the grafted portion. Sometimes the rootstock portion grew later, which means that will will be smaller at first.
It also looks like someone already cut off a sucker at the base of the tree, so it’s possible both of your current leaders are from the rootstock.
You can go ahead and prune the tree down some. Say cut both leaders down to 8’ tall. Then see if you can get some fruit from it, to see if it’s any good.
The growth is very very weak. I suggest killing some sod around the trunk with weed barrier, or hoeing, etc. That, and pruning in early spring should increase the vigor of the tree. That will also help against what looks like mower/weedeater blight at the base of the tree.
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Slitz,
It looks like you have plenty of room in your yard. Prune as you have been advised here but if it were me, I plant anther peach tree elsewhere. Well cared for little tree will catch up to this one so fast.
As Olpea said buy the smallest tree you can find. I like to pick them out and not order on line. I get mine from local big box stores and even Kroger grocery stores. My peach trees were less than 3 ft tall and less than 3/8 in dia. But they had 5-6 tiny branches 12 -18 inches off the ground. By advice from here, I cut the top offs all three trees. By the end end the second year they were 6 ft tall.
Seven years later, They are 8 ft tall and 20 ft wide
Peach Trees are cheep and grow fast. You could wait years to only find out the fruit is from the root stock and just so so.
Have you gotten any peaches off of it in recent years? Sort-of looks like a plum tree. Either way I would top the whole deal about where the white paint ends on the building behind where it looks like a deck is being built. Then follow the advice above and start over training some good scaffold branches. You will have a decent tree in a few years.
Yes, it is a peach. I did.
Hi! Thanks for the super helpful replfy, Dennis. If i top the tree about 8’ from the ground where no scaffolds are, will they naturally develop?
Hi,
It’s worth a try, once topped the latent buds lower on the trunk may begin to push out.
Dennis
Thank you.
The last peach tree I started…
Notice at planting I pruned it pretty hard. Had 4 decent scaffold branches each heading out in a different direction.
Later that year it looked like this.
The next spring after pruning it looked like this.
Good luck to you !!!
TNHunter
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I’m gonna mirror this comment, certainly at least one of the two is indeed rootstock and it needs to be eliminated as low as possible. It may warrant cutting most of it and re-grafting a variety or two you’d be interested in. But if you’re getting tasty peaches already no need to do that.
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Well done! I’ll offer a couple points that could help it form the shape you ultimately want:
- Determine where you want new scaffolds to grow to fill in the circle around the trunk. Then collect one year old scions from your prunings that have 2-3 healthy dormant buds. Perform either side grafts or punch grafts on the smooth areas of bark.
- Tip prune the remaining scaffolds to encourage them to grow more lateral branches.
Here is a pic of one of my punch grafts on my peach tree.
Keep us posted as new growth emerges
Same graft today:
Dennis
Kent, Wa
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Hello, Dennis, do you recommend grafting 2 scions into the tree to make 5 scaffolds? Or removing All the scaffolds and grafting 5 scions into the tree?
Here are my scions.
When the daytime temps are approximately 70F and nighttime temps approximately 60F. This is the ideal temps for peach grafting
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Try 2 and see how they take in about 3 weeks. If you prune the remaining scaffolds back it will divert energy to your grafts. If your grafts do not take, try again! With peach you can graft all summer after temps are in the 70’s! You should save some of the prunings to practice your grafts. Keep your unused scions in refrigerator until you are done grafting. There are several reasons to retain the 3 remaining scaffolds: They have superb crotch angles for good strength, retaining them will feed the root system while you try to add others, they keep sap flowing to the grafts you add below them. So prune them back to an upward or outward pointing bud to encourage them to grow more laterals to help fill in the spaces.
Hope this is clear!
Dennis
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Hello, Dennis, sorry for the bothering, but we have another younger peach tree im looking forward to prune, but im planning on doing the same thing on this peach as on the peach which this post is about.
Im not sure if i Can graft in the way you recommended me to this much thinner peach tree.
Hahaha a lot of work for my tree to get there.
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