I have a self-pollinating Red Haven peach tree I bought and planted about a year and a half ago. It was about 4-feet tall when I bought it, and it now is about 8-feet tall.

Last year, it produced exactly one full-sized peach.

Yesterday, I noticed that it has many scores of peaches developing on it—each currently less than an inch in diameter.

Just looking for any good advice on what type of pruning, if any, I should do to it. Also, should I thin-out the peaches to create better or larger ones or for whatever other reason? If so, what percentage should I remove?







Many thanks in advance for any helpful suggestions.

On a tree that young, thin to no more than a couple peaches per branch. Even on a mature tree, you can thin more than 50% without losing any net weight. The remaining ones grow enough larger to more than compensate for the thinned ones.
Prune off those small branches near the bottom. Clean out the center of the tree. It's easier now than after they get big.

Thank you!

I thin out my peaches twice, each time trying to take off about 50%.

I've tried taking off 75% on the first go, but I think going over it twice has better results.

Having too much weight is obviously bad for the limbs, but an over abundance of fruit takes a lot of energy out of the tree and will be a poor producer the following year.

Start spraying for bugs everything eats a peach

I have a couple of volunteers from peach seeds just outside the chicken coop. The past 2 years they have had abundant fruit to about the size the op is talking about them within a couple weeks will drop them all. Suggestions!

There are several things that can cause fruit drop. One is overloading. Another is lack of fertilizer. Insects can do it, too. Search the web for "peach dropping fruit" for something that matches your situation.

The Peachtree Borer is a big issue here in PA.

Also, how do you decide when to pick the peaches? Color? Texture? Size?

When they’re ripe

Don't pick until there's no hint of green. They should be just slightly soft to the squeeze, not rock hard. Give it a little tug. The ripe ones will come right off. If it doesn't, give it a couple days. The problem with peaches is that a tree won't ripen all at the same time so you have to pick several times over a week or so. If you pick them green, they'll ripen but they won't get sweet.