How to Grow Nectarines & Peaches

Nectarines can be grown in pots, but look for the dwarf varieties, such as Dwarf White Gold (peach) or Dwarf Tuscany (nectarine)- they’re sensational space savers!  

Heavily prune in winter to help open up the centre, to create an open vase-shape to allow more light and air to circulate. Once this framework is established, you should only need to remove dead, weak and crowded branches in the future. 

In the early stages of cropping, remove excess fruit – they can be rubbed off – so that the remaining fruit will grow to a good size. 

Peaches and Nectarines bear fruit on laterals (shoots) produced the previous summer. Lateral branches fruit for one season only, so there must be plenty of new ones coming on each year for continuous cropping.

Pick Peaches and Nectarines when they are slightly softened with a hint of aroma.

Holes in plant leaves are normally a sign of a chewing pest such as Caterpillars or Grasshoppers.

The most common cause hor holes in Peach and Nectarine tree leaves is a disease called Shot Hole.

Curling leaves could indicate a sap-sucking pest, such as Aphids. Most commonly it is a disease called Peach Leaf Curl.

Shot Hole and Peach Leaf Curl must be treated well before the new leaves emerge. Once the leaves have sprouted it is too late to spray.

To prevent Shot Hole and Peach Leaf Curl on Peach and Nectarine trees, spray with Yates Liquid Copper.