The decision to grow a peach tree starts with selecting a variety suited to your local environment. A successful harvest depends on choosing the right tree and providing proper care. Researching key requirements and understanding the logistics of buying, whether seeking an heirloom or a common variety, is essential.
Selecting the Right Variety for Your Climate
The most important factor determining a peach tree’s productivity is its chill hour requirement. Chill hours represent the total time the tree must be exposed to temperatures between 32°F and 45°F (0°C and 7°C) during dormancy to break dormancy and set fruit. If a tree does not receive enough chilling, it will experience delayed bloom, poor leaf development, and may not produce a viable crop.
Low-chill varieties, needing as little as 200–350 hours, suit warmer climates, while high-chill varieties may require 800 to 1,050 hours or more. Selecting a tree that requires too many chill hours will result in poor performance, while one needing too few may bloom too early and be susceptible to late spring frost damage.
Beyond chilling needs, consider resistance to common fungal diseases, particularly Peach Leaf Curl, which thrives in cool, wet spring weather and causes leaves to pucker and deform. Planting a resistant variety, such as ‘Frost,’ ‘Indian Free,’ or ‘Avalon Pride,’ can eliminate the need for annual fungicide sprays.
Sourcing Options: Where to Purchase Peach Trees
Local nurseries or independent garden centers often carry varieties specifically recommended for your regional climate. These businesses offer local expertise, with staff knowledgeable about soil types, common pests, and chill hour requirements. You can also physically inspect the tree for signs of disease or damage, ensuring you start with a healthy specimen.
Online specialty vendors and mail-order nurseries provide the greatest selection of specific peach varieties, including low-chill, heirloom, or disease-resistant types unavailable locally. These sources are often the only way to obtain the tree as a bare-root specimen, which is typically cheaper and establishes well when planted correctly. However, you cannot visually inspect the tree beforehand, and shipping adds to the overall cost.
Big box stores and seasonal garden centers offer the most accessible and often the lowest-cost option. While convenient, the selection is usually limited to common varieties, and the staff may lack the specific horticultural knowledge of an independent nursery. Trees from these sources are almost always sold in containers, but you must ensure the variety’s chill hours align with your location.
Choosing the Best Tree Form and Planting Timing
Peach trees are primarily sold in two forms: bare-root or containerized (potted).
Bare-Root Trees
Bare-root trees are dormant, meaning they have no soil around their roots and no leaves, and are typically available only during late winter and early spring. These are generally less expensive, weigh less, and suffer less transplant shock as their roots transition directly into the native soil.
The optimal planting time for a bare-root peach tree is as soon as the ground is workable, generally from late fall through early spring, while the tree is still dormant. This limited planting window ensures the tree can establish its root system before supporting new growth in the spring. Upon arrival, bare-root trees must be planted promptly or kept moist to prevent the roots from drying out.
Containerized Trees
Containerized trees are actively growing in a pot with soil and can be planted at nearly any time of year, offering greater flexibility. These trees are often older, making them more expensive than bare-root stock of the same size. If planted in the summer, they require more diligent watering and attention to mitigate stress during hot weather.