peaches stay green and don’t ripen

Question

I live in Plano (Dallas, Texas). I have a peach tree in my backyard, about 10 years old. I don’t know how to take care of it. It gets lots of green peaches which never ripen. What should I do? Thank you.

Answer 1

A few things could cause this. First, it could be a chilling issue. If a peach tree gets just a little bit too little chilling in the winter, it will button the fruit, which means that it tries to grow them, but they will be deformed, stunted or fail to mature. Since no one really had a cold winter this year, it is likely that chilling could be a factor. Here is more info: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/peach/peach-chill-hours.htm

Another possibility is that there is a problem with pollination. If this is the case though, the tree will drop the fruit in late spring or early summer. If you suspect a pollination problem, these articles will help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/teak/insect-pollination-process.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/beneficial/creating-a-pollinator-garden.htm
Finally, peach trees need to be pruned and thinned well to produce fruit. If your tree is at least 3 years old and it carries the small, immature fruit throughout the season, that may be your problem. This article will help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/peach/peach-tree-thinning.htm