Peach Trees

[Goldlexus]

We have/had a peach tree that stopped blooming and leafing. We assumed it was dead. We didn't cut it down but have used it to hang a bird feeder on. Anyway I was out in the garden today and noticed a tree like growth, meaning it is twig like but bigger than twigs but smaller than a tree, a couple of feet away from the old peach tree with blooms and leafing. That twig/tree like growth has NEVER been there before! Do peach trees send out feeders? (I think that is what it is called). I can post a picture if needed. It is getting dark right now so it will have to be tomorrow. Until than anyone have any ideas what or if it could be a 'baby' peach tree?

[Jangchub]

Photos are always good to see, but peach trees are not spread by runners. I have them coming up all over, but from the peach pit which contains a seed. Most fruit trees are grafted onto different root stock, so a tree from seed may not produce, but you are saying it has flowers. Post a photo.

[sherwindu]

It is possible that the peach tree root system has put out new growth away from the original tree. My question would be is the original peach tree a grafted one, or not. If it is not grafted, it might be a viable way to propagate the original tree. If the original peach tree was grafted onto some rootstock, you will not get back the same peach variety you started with.

Sherw> We have/had a peach tree that stopped blooming and leafing. We assumed it > was dead.

[David E. Ross]

Sometimes, fruit will drop unnoticed. The pit will sprout. Peaches do not "bear true" from seed, so what you get from a seedling is a gamble. I had a friend who got very nice fruit from a seedling, but it definitely was not any named variety.

Even with the best care, peach trees are productive for very long. In my climate, peaches specially developed for mild winters may be productive only 10-15 years. In cold-winter areas, that might be 15-20 years.

My recommendation would be to remove the dead tree and the seedling. Have the stump of the old tree ground out so that you can plant a new peach tree in its place. Within about three years, you will start getting a nice crop of your chosen variety. (Yes, it is safe to plant a new peach tree exactly where an old peach tree had been growing.)

[Goldlexus]

Below are a few links to pictures of the 'tree'. They aren't that good but hopefully you can figure out what it is. The blooms are towards the top mostly but it has leaf buds all over. We have lived here for 4 years, the tree was already here. When we moved in the old peach tree only had leaves at the top and nothing towards the bottom. It didn't have any fruit. We cut the top off cause it arched way over to the neighbors yard. It never bloomed or leafed since. Now we find this blooming/leafing tree like plant next to the old peach tree! Go figure. If is is not a runner from the peach tree what the heck is it? RUNNER is the word I was thinking of when I said 'feeder', glad you give me the proper term...Thanks! Anyway, here are the links:

am really interested in hearing what you all think.

[symplastless]

A little word about peach trees. They do not tolerate proper pruning well let alone improper pruning.

much more on pruning:

[David E. Ross]

I'm not sure what you mean by "They do not tolerate proper pruning well". All stone fruits respond well to pruning. Peaches require heavy pruning.

The convention is to remove growth equal to 2/3 of what grew during the previous spring and summer. Ideally, you remove old growth and keep new growth. However, new growth should be headed, at least removing the final inch of each new branch or twig; this keeps the branch from growing any longer and promotes new branch formation.

Failure to prune a peach thoroughly before flowering will result in more fruit this year but a reduced crop next year. It also increases the risk of branches breaking when they set too much fruit unless you thin the immature fruit more aggressively than if the tree were pruned.

[symplastless]

No, peaches require fine pruning. The pictures here show the internal response to proper pruning.

more color-altered wood (dead symplast) the less place for the tree to store energy such as starch which is only stored in living parenchyma cells. This would reduce the trees capacity for defense. This is why they have short life disease of peaches. The only way you will understand this is by dissecting trees and seeing for yourself.

Sincerely, John A. Keslick, Jr. Arborist

Beware of so-called tree experts who do not understand tree biology. Storms, fires, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions keep reminding us that we are not the boss.