The peach tree is from China. In Finland, exotic fruit trees were once grown in manor sheds, but now you can also try peaches in your own garden.
peach tree (Prunus persica) is an exotic and hardy fruit tree. It winters best in a conservatory or basement, but in favorable places in southern Finland it may survive outdoors as well.
In general, seedlings are recommended for zone I, and success outdoors is not certain there either. You need a sheltered place, a permeable growing medium and a bit of luck.
A peach tree grows best in a pot
The safest way to grow a peach tree is in a large pot with a diameter of 60–80 cm, which is wintered inside.
In summer, the plant can even be kept on the balcony. A bright place is always an advantage, whether the tree grows on the balcony or in the yard.
Drain the pot with stones so that water does not stand in the root system of the fragile plant. Light gravel also works like a mulch, but it lightens the weight of the pot.
Use ready-limed and fertilized garden soil as a growing medium. In the first year, a new nutrient-rich growing medium is enough, and no fertilization is needed.
Water the tree after planting and later as needed. Pour enough water at once that the soil gets wet deeper than the surface. Pour off the excess water from the saucer.
Take the pot to a conservatory, basement, garage or other frost-free place for the winter. In winter, the need for watering depends on the air humidity and temperature of the wintering place.
Take the tree outside again in the spring, when the temperature is permanently on the positive side. Protect the tree outside with frost gauze if frost is coming or bring it back inside.
When the tree grows so large in relation to its pot that the root system fills the entire growing medium, it should be repotted in an even bigger pot.
In southern Finland, peaches can also be wintered in the yard
An experimental gardener plants a peach in a well-protected and sunny place in the garden.
The wall of the house or next to the greenhouse may offer the tree the best place to grow on the plot.
The soil should be sandy so that water does not stand in the root system. For the same reason, planting in a raised bench is an advantage. However, water the peach in intermittent periods.
In late autumn, protect the peach tree after the surface is frosted with a frost blanket, and spread winter protective peat on the root area of the tree.
The peach doesn’t really need to be cut, because cutting it can endanger winter survival. Only dead branches are removed.
If you want to limit the height growth by cutting the top and branches, the cutting is done in the autumn after the harvest.
Read also Anna.fi: Now there is a cheerful greenhouse! Riina’s garden dream is like a mini apartment building
You can harvest the peach tree in August-September
Peach blooms early in spring in May. The species is self-pollinated, i.e. one seedling is enough for a harvest. The fruits, or stone berries, are ready in August-September.
Varieties on sale include ´Frost´ (dark red flowers), ´Riga´ (pink flowers) and ´Maira´ (pink flowers).
Source: kotiliesi.fi
