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Reddit mentions of Texas Peach Handbook (Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Service Series)
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Reddit mentions: 1
We found 1 Reddit mentions of Texas Peach Handbook (Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Service Series). Here are the top ones.
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Height | 9.2 Inches |
Length | 6.3 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Weight | 1 Pounds |
Width | 0.6 Inches |
Don't get a dwarf peach tree - get a peach tree that has the right number of chill hours for your area (more below). Peach trees should be pruned aggressively each dormant season to optimize fruit production, but also to limit size. It's common practice to keep the tree at a size that allows you to pick the fruit without a ladder. It's very easy to keep them limited to a smaller size.
About chill hours - peaches require a certain number of "chill hours" (time spent at temperatures in a cold range) in order to set fruit. You need to look up the chill hours for your area and get a tree that is close to that. If you choose a tree that has too few hours, it might wake up from dormancy before the final frost and you'd lose all your crop. If you choose one that has too many hours, it might never wake up from dormancy. I live in an area that is around 700 hours, so we planted two different varieties that are 650 and 800 chill hours.
I also recommend planting a bare root tree (aka "whip"). It's tempting to buy a giant tree, but smaller ones will get established quicker and do better over the longer period. This also allows you to make the first years pruning cut that will establish the scaffold limbs and the shape of the tree (i.e. limiting it's height).
Source: Successfully grown peaches as a homeowner in Austin. This book is the bible and has everything you need to know. I HIGHLY recommend reading through it (takes 3-4 hours) before purchasing a peach tree. It will explain everything from site selection to pruning: https://www.amazon.com/Handbook-AgriLife-Research-Extension-Service/dp/1603442669
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