Description of the peach and the rules for its cultivation

Peach - a plant belonging to the Plum genus, has juicy, fleshy fruits of different shades: from white and yellowish to red, orange, pink and burgundy.

The wild form of the peach is found in northern China and northwest India, purposefully the tree was first planted in India. Common peach, known to all gardeners, was bred in the process of introgressive hybridization between common almonds, Chinese plums, common apricots, cherry plums and the following peach varieties:

• Hansuan;
• amazing;
• David.

There are three varieties of this tree:

• nectarine;
• common peach;
• peach.

Large scale peach plantations are found in Turkey, Japan, Armenia and the Czech Republic. In the Russian Federation, a plant from the Pink family is grown in the southern regions (Crimea and Krasnodar Territory) and in private gardens of amateur gardeners in all regions.

The peach tree reaches a height of 3.5 m, and the crown diameter varies from 4 to 4.5 m. In order to fully supply the abundant foliage with nutrients, the plant has a well-developed root system. The leaves themselves look like a lancet in dark shades of green, while flowers that appear in late April are reddish or delicate shades of pink.

Peach fruits of different varieties have different shapes: round, flat and elongated elliptical. Fruits can be both velvety and bare, they all have a large, wrinkled bone in the center. For fresh consumption, only fruits with fibrous pulp are suitable; for jams, compotes and juices, it is best to use canned varieties with a cartilaginous texture. The inside of the fruit can be white, red and even yellow.

The fruit has a low calorie content - only 39 calories per 100 grams, one fruit weighs up to 110 grams and is 89% water. The huge amount of vitamins, organic acids, mineral salts, pectins and essential oils in the composition makes the peach an ideal tree for growing in your garden.

Depending on the variety, not only the shape, taste and color of the fruit changes, but also other characteristics, including the ripening time.

The most popular early maturing varieties include:

• Vavilovsky. It belongs to medium-sized varieties and is characterized by increased productivity. The mass of one fruit reaches 300 grams. Rounded yellow fruits with blush on the sides are used for fresh consumption, have a sweet and sour taste and a high tasting score - 4.8 points. Medium disease resistance, suitable for cultivation in the southern and central regions.

• Kiev early. Produces a bountiful harvest even without pollinating varieties. The fruits are medium in size, have a thin and velvety skin of light yellow shades, delicate pulp and sweet taste, the weight of each peach is from 80 to 100 grams. The variety is recommended for gardening in central Russia and in the northern regions due to its high frost resistance and immunity to infectious diseases.

• White Swan. The fruits are harvested from the tree 4 years after planting, the average weight is 150-200 grams.Fruits are yellowish, under a thin skin, a juicy creamy pulp with a dessert taste without sourness is hidden. It is intended for cultivation in the southern regions of Russia and Ukraine.

• Juicy. A vigorous tree that begins to bloom at the end of April. On average, fruits weigh about 125 grams, the mass of individual fruits reaches 200 g. They are covered with a dense, velvety skin of a greenish tint. The taste is estimated at 4.5 points. Not recommended for growing in the northern regions of the country.

• Grisboro. The tree is very large, has a spreading crown and abundant flowering. Fruits are round, up to 5.5 cm in diameter and weighing about 130 g. Rough, creamy skin with a crimson blush hides juicy pulp and large pits, the taste is estimated at 4.8 points out of 5. High winter hardiness allows growing peaches in the north of the Russian Federation.

• Redhaven. It is the most popular variety for planting in the North Caucasus region. The flowering season begins in late April and lasts until mid-May. Fruits are shiny and large enough - up to 200 g. The skin is dense, yellow in color with a bright red blush. Has a very high score - 4.9-5 points.

• Favorite of Moretini. Peach fruits are small and round in shape, weighing up to 120 g. Yellow skin of medium density and beige flesh without sourness makes the variety the best option for fresh consumption. Suitable for growing in warm regions.

The average ripening period is characterized by:

• Collins. This variety is distinguished by large fruits weighing from 130 to 190 grams. The velvety, spherical orange fruits have a sweet and sour taste and belong to the table varieties. It does not need pollinating varieties and without them from the beginning of July to the beginning of August produces up to 200 centners of fruit per hectare. The variety is recommended for planting in the North Caucasus region, but gardeners assure that the variety also gives a good harvest in the Lower Volga region, central Ukraine and Crimea.

• Donetsk white. The fruits ripen at different times, but already in the first decade of August, you can try these miniature fruits. Peaches from this tree weigh about 80 g and are distinguished by their white skin and translucent flesh. The tasters rated the taste at 4.3 points. Under favorable conditions, the tree gives about 60 kg of yield, suitable for amateur cultivation on the territory of Ukraine and the southern regions of Russia.

• Jaminat. The peach tree of this variety is medium-sized, has large yellow fruits weighing up to 160 g. It is highly resistant to diseases such as klyasternosporiosis and curliness. It was bred for cultivation in the southern regions of the country.

• Cardinal. Fruiting already for 4-5 years and yields 30-35 kg of peaches. The fruits are round, medium in size and weigh up to 140 g. The color of the skin is carmine, while the flesh is pale yellow and very fragrant. The variety itself is characterized as unpretentious and can be grown in almost all regions of the Russian Federation.

• Golden Moscow. The variety is suitable for growing both in private gardens and on an industrial scale, since the fruits are distinguished by a beautiful yellow color with a rich red blush and do not lose their qualities during long-term storage and transportation. The weight of one peach reaches 200 g, about 15 of which are the mass of the stone.

• Siberian. As the name implies, it is characterized by high frost resistance and is suitable for peach orchards in all regions of Russia. Fruiting begins at the age of 3 years, and the amount of harvest from a tree gradually increases from 20 kg in a young plant to 50 kg in an adult. Fruits weigh up to 140 g, yellow, juicy pulp and shaggy skin of yellow shades with a pink blush. The kernel (seed) is smaller than average and easily separates from the fruit.

• Fluffy early. Trees of this variety grow in the North Caucasus region and delight gardeners first with pink flowers, and then with fruits weighing 80-110 grams. The skin covering the delicate and aromatic pulp is characterized by a greenish tint and burgundy blush.

• Saturn. One of the best fig peaches that bloom with beautiful pink flowers. The fruits are quite small - 60-80 grams each, have a juicy and sweet pulp, which is estimated at 4.9-5 points. The first harvest can be obtained already in the second year after planting; in the fifth year, up to 40 kg of fruits are removed from one peach.

Late varieties are distinguished by increased frost resistance, among them are:

• Irganayskiy late. The medium-sized variety is characterized by high yield, medium fruits (120-140 grams) and harmonious taste. Great for processing in the form of jams, juices and compotes. It is resistant to diseases and has increased frost resistance, due to which the gardeners of central Russia plant it on their territory.
• Frost. You can understand that this variety is ripe by the average size of the fruit - 200-250 g. Before harvesting (and it is held in early September), peaches have a deep red color. The variety is not suitable for transportation and long-term storage, since after 4-6 days the fruits begin to lose their aroma and noble sourness. The main advantage over other varieties is absolute disease resistance.
• Veteran. Its structure resembles the Saturn variety: the height of the tree is 3-4 meters, and the crown is spherical. The pink flowers turn into flattened fruits weighing up to 150 grams. The skin is golden in color, covered with a delicate fluff of a beige shade, the flesh is sweet, hiding a medium-sized bone.

Growing a peach without gardening experience is a tricky business. Planting instructions and professional advice can make this process easier.

It is necessary to start planting a peach by choosing a place. Since peach is a finicky crop, space requirements need to be considered.

• There should not be lush foliage nearby, since our plant needs a lot of sunlight - the shadow from shrubs and trees will destroy it.
• The area should be protected from the wind, ideally - place seedlings near buildings.
• The distance between plants must be at least 5 meters.
• Self-infertile varieties (for example, Yubileiny early) require other peach trees on the site.
• For a peach, it is better to choose a place with loamy soil or low acidity chernozem.
• Groundwater should lie no higher than three meters from the bottom of the planting pit.
• It does not tolerate apricot, pear, apple, walnut, cherry and sweet cherry as neighbors, since they take all the nutrients from the soil, without which the peach cannot grow.
• You should not plant trees in places where the following plants grew before: strawberries and strawberries, tomatoes and potatoes, peppers and eggplants.

Not every specialist can choose the right peach seedling, but it depends on this whether the plant will take root or not. Before purchasing planting material, you need to decide on the time of disembarkation.

Ideally, the age of the seedling should be 1-2 years - during this period they reach 1.5 meters in height, and the thickness of the trunk is 1.5-2 centimeters. A healthy seedling has no traces of damage and no cuts. Particular attention should be paid to the roots of the plant - at the time of purchase, they should not be dry and have signs of disease, and in order to bring the seedling home without problems, wrap the root system with a damp cloth and plastic wrap.

The planting material is not immediately removed from the cling film: the first 2-3 days, acclimatization takes place. For it to be successful, all leaves and twigs must be removed. 1-2 days before planting, the polyethylene and damp cloth are removed, and the damaged roots are cut to healthy ones. The seedling is placed in a container with "Kornevin" for a day, after which it is planted in a permanent place.

For the root system of a peach, a pit is required, the width and depth of which is 70 cm.

When planting in the spring, it is necessary to prepare a pit in the fall; a peg is installed in the center, which will support the peach. For autumn planting, it is recommended to dig a hole 2.5 weeks before planting. The day before planting the peach, the pit is 1/3 filled with mineral fertilizers mixed with wood ash. The seedling is placed in the middle of the hole and buried in a mixture of ordinary earth and humus. After that, you need to pour 2 buckets of warm water under the peach and tie it to the peg.

After planting, the peach must be cared for carefully. Care includes timely watering, top dressing and pruning.

Early varieties require 2-3 waterings per season, medium and late ones - 4-6. Each tree is poured from 2 to 5 buckets, the amount depends on the size, age and weather. It is recommended to water the plants in the early morning or evening.

The first watering is carried out, depending on the variety, at the end of May or mid-June. The second time the plants are watered in early July-mid-August, when all the fruits were removed, the third - in early August or September to prepare the plant for wintering.

It is necessary to feed the peach throughout the season:

• before swelling of the kidneys as a prophylaxis for fungal infections;
• at the beginning of bud swelling to combat leaf curl, scab and kidney pests;
• during and after flowering, complex feeding is carried out to prevent diseases and pests;
• in the summer, top dressing is applied if necessary;
• after harvest to prevent fungus.

Mineral substances are introduced both before and during flowering, and after, and organic - in the autumn.

• In March, the tree should be fed with a 7% urea solution.
• Potassium dressing is applied before the start of fruit formation.
• After flowering, it is necessary to process the crown with a mixture of minerals (soda ash, copper sulfate, boric acid, iodine and manganese).
• During the ripening of peaches, it is recommended to avoid all dressings except potassium (they are used to increase the yield), but if necessary, add 100 g of superphosphate and 50 g of ammonium nitrate.
• After harvesting, 50 g of superphosphate and 60 g of potassium chloride are added per square meter.
• In September, peaches are fertilized with manure, mulched with peat or compost.

Peach needs the following types of pruning:

• economic - old and damaged branches are removed;
• restorative - to restore a tree after severe frosts;
• regulating - to remove excess ringlets;
• rejuvenating - allows you to extend the fruiting period;
• shaping - is carried out to stimulate growth.

In the process of spring pruning, it is necessary to shorten the shoots and form a wide crown. The branches are cut by no more than 1/2, the pruning itself is carried out before the start of sap flow.

In summer, dry twigs and branches that lose color should be removed. Pruning is carried out during the seed laying period - in June and early July.

In the autumn period, other types of pruning are carried out, since before the onset of cold weather the tree has time to fully recover.

Peach can be propagated in a number of ways.

• Seeds. For this, freshly harvested seeds are used, which are stratified within 3 months. After that, the bone is immersed in water, which must be changed daily. After 5 days, the shells are removed and the seeds are placed in the previously fertilized soil to a depth of 7 cm.

• Vaccination. It is necessary to take into account the compatibility of the rootstock and the scion.As a summing up, seedlings of wild plum or felt cherry 1-2 years old are used, the cuttings are harvested in the fall and stored in the basement throughout the winter. In the spring, the scion and rootstock are connected and wrapped in foil, and after a month the branch is cut 7 cm above the graft.

• Cuttings. For propagation by this method, green cuttings are collected in the morning and immediately placed in water with a root formation stimulator. When new leaves appear, you can plant the peach in the garden.

• Air layering. A strong lignified branch with a thickness of 1-1.5 cm is selected. A layer of bark is cut off on it and fruit buds are removed, after which a bottle is placed on it with the neck down, filled with earth and moss. Until the roots appear, the substrate needs watering, then the shoot can be transplanted to a permanent place.

The peach tree is susceptible to fungal diseases, which can be prevented by fungicides. The following diseases are most common:

• curliness of leaves;
• moniliosis;
• clotterosporia;
• powdery mildew;
• cytoporosis.

The main pests of peach:

• aphid;
• weevils;
• ticks;
• fruit striped moth;
• moth.

As a preventive measure, the following measures are taken:

• destruction of fallen leaves and weeds;
• sanitary pruning;
• digging soil in near-trunk circles;
• whitewash;
• spraying the crown with a 3% solution of copper sulfate;
• insecticide and fungicide treatments.

Rumors that peaches cannot be grown in central Russia are greatly exaggerated. Correct planting, timely watering, top dressing, pruning and prevention of diseases and pests is the key to success even in such a difficult event.