Come harvest time, healthy peach trees can yield a treasure trove of sweet, dessert-ready fruit. But, whether you're growing just a couple of trees or a whole grove of these prolific producers, proper pruning is essential if you want robust fruit production. Making the wrong cuts at the wrong times can ruin both your harvest and your tree. What's more, knowing how to prune a peach tree can make harvesting easier—so even the juiciest fruits are within reach. Follow this guide on how to prune a peach tree and take the guesswork out of season-by-season peach tree maintenance.

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Easier harvesting. When allowed to grow with abandon, peach trees reach lofty heights, producing lots of woody growth and fewer fruits. Well-timed pruning can keep your trees at a manageable height (7 to 8 feet tall) for easier harvesting from the ground. Pruning also thins nonproductive stems, allowing light to reach the interior of the tree and ripen the fruit.

Minimizing damage.Peach trees are known to produce so much fruit that branches break under the weight of ripening peaches. Thinning fruit in early summer prevents tree damage later in the season and produces larger fruit at harvest time. 

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A well-branched peach tree that supports developing fruit will have three or four main branches extending from the trunk. These main branches are called scaffold branches, and they form the structure of the tree. The best scaffold branches connect to the trunk at about a 45 to 60-degree angle. Scaffold branches connected at an angle less than 45 degrees are often too weak to support a heavy fruit load. 

Structural pruning in the first few years of a tree's life is crucial for establishing proper form. This is best done in early spring (which also happens to be the best time to plant young trees). To train a newly purchased peach tree sapling, select three or four strong, evenly-spaced branches to serve as your tree's scaffold branches. If your tree has more than four scaffold branches, prune away any competing growth that extends from the main trunk.

If a scaffold branch is attached at a narrow angle (less than 45 degrees), look for a nearby branch with a wider angle and train it to eventually become a scaffold branch. Remove the weaker scaffold branch with sharp pruning shears or loppers by making a cut just outside the raised ridge of bark where the branch attaches to the trunk. This type of "collar cut" promotes faster healing and reduces the risk of infection.

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Winter is a key time to prune peach trees because the leafless branches make it easier to assess the tree’s structure. But timing is important, so wait to prune your peach trees until the threat of intense cold temperatures has passed. Trees pruned in midwinter and then exposed to extreme cold are easily damaged—and may even die prematurely. It is usually safe to prune peach trees about a month before the last average spring frost date in your area.

Begin winter pruning by removing all dead, damaged, or diseased branches.

Next, clip away any vigorous, upright shoots (often called watersprouts). These shoots do not produce fruit.

Identify the scaffold branches and remove any shoots emerging from the main trunk that are not scaffolds. If needed, reduce the length of the scaffold branches by cutting them back to an outward-facing bud. The length of the scaffold branches determines the overall size of the tree. So, don’t hesitate to cut scaffolds back to create a tree that's a manageable size for harvesting.

Finally, prune shoots along each scaffold branch. Aim to have one shoot about every 12 inches along a scaffold branch. The shoots that remain after pruning will produce fruit the following summer. 

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To avoid introducing plant diseases, sterilize pruning tools with rubbing alcohol before you begin pruning your peach tree. Clean the pruners again before pruning another tree.

Peaches grow on the "fruiting wood" produced the previous growing season, so prune minimally in the spring. Removing live wood in spring can potentially reduce fruit production. Instead, the springtime pruning goal is to remove dead, damaged, or diseased branches. It will be easy to see which branches were killed in winter about three weeks after leaves emerge on the trees. Remove these leafless branches to let more light into the tree's interior. 

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At the height of summer, even the branches of a healthy peach tree can break under the weight of a heavy fruit load. Plus, an overladen peach tree will produce smaller fruit. To prevent both problems, thin the developing fruit about four weeks after the peach tree blooms.

Remove excess fruit so there is just one peach about every 6 inches along a branch. Pluck the small peaches off the branch by grasping a fruit’s stem firmly near the branch and twisting it off with a quick motion. Thinning peaches can feel like an extreme process, but it's worth the effort. The fruit that remains on the tree will grow larger and be more colorful and flavorful than those from a tree that is not thinned.  

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Store fresh, unripe peaches at room temperature or in a paper bag if you want to speed up the ripening process. Keep ripe peaches in the refrigerator (up to five days) to slow ripening. Do not store fresh peaches in a plastic bag as the lack of air circulation may cause them to spoil faster.

Peach trees are prone to several pests and diseases, and, unfortunately, some of these problems are the result of poor pruning practices. Use these tactics to prevent disease:

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best tool to use to prune a peach tree?

The best tool for pruning a peach tree depends on the size of the branches and the goal is to make a clean cut. For early pruning and thin branches, sharp hand pruners should do the trick. For branches that are an inch thick, loppers are more suitable. If you need to prune away thick branches (3 inches or more), use a pruning saw. Keep all cutting tools well-honed and sanitized for quick, clean cuts.

How long does it take before a peach tree bears fruit?

With proper care and maintenance, it takes about 2 to 4 years for a peach tree to start producing fruit.

Do I need to plant multiple peach trees to grow fruit?

No. Most peach trees are self-pollinating, which means you only need one tree to produce fruit. However, planting your peach tree alongside another variety can improve the quality and yield of your fruit.