When and how much do you prune a peach tree?
The best time to prune is in late winter so that you can cut away wood injured by low temperatures. You should also cut back the tall-growing limbs and 1/3 of all new growth. Cut out all dead, broken, diseased branches. Remove old wood as well as crossing or rubbing branches. Aim for a funnel-like shape with fruiting branches about 1 foot apart over the top of the tree.
How do I know when to spray peach trees and with what? We live in NW Ohio.
This guide is a comprehensive guide spray schedual recommended for the Midwest for fruit trees. The guide for peaches is on page 33 and will be helpful to you: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/publications/pm1282.pdf
I recently moved into a home that has 2 pear trees and a small orchard of peach trees. Neither type of fruit trees are growing fruit. What can I do to bring on the fruit? They are adult trees, by the way.
I would have the soil tested to make sure that there is not a phosphorus deficiency in the soil. The trees need phosphorous to bloom and produce fruit. You may also have a pollination issue. Attracting pollinators will help. These articles will help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/beneficial/insect-pollination-process.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/beneficial/creating-a-pollinator-garden.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/beneficial/attracting-bees.htm
I need to know how and when to treat Peach Leaf Curl. I have a Dwarf Saturn Peach Tree. Is it ok to keep it in a container?
Peach tree leaf curl is a common fungal disease among these fruit trees. Prevention is the best form of attack against the disease, however. Once your tree has developed leaf curl, it is difficult to save your peach harvest. Unfortunately, fungicide will not kill this disease. Prune off diseased portions of the tree and try to thin out the number of peaches you have on the tree. Also clean up any debris that may have fallen. In late fall, you can treat with a fixed copper fungicide to try and prevent the re-occurrence of the disease.
Leaving it in its container will not effect the tree.
We have peach, plum, apple and pear trees and want to know the proper way to care for each. Pear tree yielded a lot of pears this year and they were very sweet. The apple tree did nothing this year. The plum tree yielded a handful of small, sugar sweet plums and we have problems keeping the squirrels away. The peach tree was FULL of peaches but midway in their growth, they developed a sticky film on them and they were not edible. Please help!
How old is the apple tree? It may not be old enough to produce yet. Also, the soil around it may not have enough phosphorus, which is needed for blooming and fruiting. The peach tree sounds like it has a pest infestation, perhaps scale or aphids. They secret a sticky substance called honeydew that can cover leaves and fruit. I would recommend treating the tree with neem oil to take care of the pests. Here is more information:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/pesticides/neem-oil-uses.htm
Here is more info on peaches:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/peach/peach-tree-care.htm
These articles should help as well: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/pear/growing-pear-trees.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/animals/get-rid-squirrels.htm
I planted a July Elberta peach tree about one month ago in our backyard. It had a lot of leaves with a healthy root ball. I hand water it about twice a week. It has recently lost almost all of its leaves. Why is this?
You may not be watering deep enough. When trees are first planted, they need huge amounts of water to establish well. I would water for longer periods of time.
The other issue may be the tree may be in transplant shock. This article will help with that:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/learn-how-to-avoid-and-repair-transplant-shock-in-plants.htm
I have 3 peach trees in my backyard and only one produced very well this year. Should I prune the branches for a better crop next year, or should they be pruned at all?
Do not prune these trees following the harvest. However, they do require annual pruning to help maintain shape, size, and overall health. The best time to prune is in February once the danger of frost has passed but before any fruit has begun blooming. Improper pruning will reduce yield and fruit quality.
Cut out all dead, broken, diseased branches. Remove old wood as well as crossing or rubbing branches. Aim for a funnel-like shape with fruiting branches about 1 foot apart over the top of the tree. Thinning is another way to encourage better fruiting. This article will help with that: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/peach/peach-tree-thinning.htm