I am helping my neighbor top work his Frost peach tree. The tree has lost most of its top most limbs over the years but seems to have most of its new growth occurring near the ground. Much of the new growth is shaded by other limbs, so I have taken buds from the shaded limbs and planted them higher up on older limbs where they get much better all day sun exposure. In spring I do not want to remove the ends of the limbs to decrease apical dominance so I plan to use notching just above each newly planted bud graft where they appear to be healthy.
I would like to hear from someone who has experience in forcing peach buds to determine the best time of spring growth to notch these T and Chip buds.
Thanks
Dennis
Kent, Wa
It is hard to answer without pictures. I dont understand why you would need to bud as if the limbs are small enough to accept buds they should also be growing well.
From my experience on peach trees sometimes the top gets permanently tired out on an older tree and you need to just let the shoots from the bottom grow out and take over the tree in a few years, removing the upper stuff bit by bit.
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