Content
Peach is a tree that is known primarily for its delicious fruits: they are widely used in cooking in the preparation of a wide variety of delicious dishes. The culture is easy to care for, but does not tolerate low temperatures. What features a peach has, photos of the tree and its varieties, growing conditions, as well as tips for collecting and using unripe fruits are described in detail in the article.
What does a peach look like?
China is considered the birthplace of the plant. This is a perennial tree belonging to the Plum genus, the Rosaceae family. In summer cottages, mainly garden varieties are grown that are descended from the common peach (Persica vulgaris).
What kind of peach tree
Peach is a deciduous, straight-trunked fruit tree with a lush, dense crown with a diameter of about 6 m. The height of the plant directly depends on the variety. As a rule, it is 3 - 4 m.Some specimens can grow up to 9 m.
The plant belongs to the Almond subgenus, and, as can be seen from the photo, the peach tree is indeed very similar to almonds.
The tree trunk is covered with brown-red scaly bark. Old branches are thick, powerful, rough to the touch, young branches are smooth and thin. The roots are located close to the surface of the earth, at a depth of about 30 - 50 cm. The leaves are bright green, lanceolate, with small teeth. There is no pubescence on the leaf blade.
Fruits can be varied in shape: round, elongated-round, flattened or ovoid. One of the sides is divided by a groove. The peel is thin, from white-green to deep yellow, with reddish-orange tints. The pulp is white and red in color, juicy, with a pronounced aroma, sweet and sour taste. Inside there is a dense, ribbed, brown seed with a seed.
The diameter of the fruit is 6 - 12 cm. The weight, depending on the variety, ranges from 60 to 200 g.
According to biological characteristics, two types of fruits are distinguished:
- peaches characterized by soft hairy skin;
- nectarines, the skin of which, like plums, is bare.
How do peaches grow?
Peach is considered a southern crop. The tree loves bright light and absolutely does not tolerate cold. When the temperature drops to -17 oC, some of the branches and roots freeze and die. Severe frosts can cause complete death of the plant.
The crop can be planted in any soil, but it does not tolerate saline and waterlogged soil well. Without enough air, the root system begins to die.
An elevated, well-lit place on the south side, which should also be protected from the wind, is perfect for planting.
The tree should not be planted too close to other plants or tall buildings, as they will block it from the sun. The optimal distance is at least 3 m.
How the peach blossoms
Peach flowers are actinomorphic and goblet-shaped in shape. The diameter does not exceed 5 mm; mostly single, but sometimes you can find pairs; consist of 5 petals.
You can see how the peach blossoms in the photo.
Flowers of pink, red and white shades, sessile or collected in small bouquets, bloom before the leaves. There are decorative varieties with striped and double flowers.
The duration of peach flowering is 2 weeks, but in severe drought and heat this time is reduced to 2 - 3 days.
Peaches yield
Peaches are characterized by high productivity. Depending on the variety, from 30 to 60 kg of fruits are collected from one tree under optimal growing conditions.
Variety | Yield (kg) |
Favorite | 50 — 60 |
Ambassador of Peace | 30 — 40 |
Gift of Kyiv | 30 — 50 |
Slavutich | 30 — 50 |
Redhaven | 30 — 40 |
Nectarine Kyiv | 20 — 30 |
Generous 53M | 30 — 50 |
Oksamytovy | 30 — 50 |
Forest-steppe | 30 — 50 |
Donetsk Yellow | 50 — 60 |
How many years does a peach bear fruit?
Young peaches begin to bear fruit in the 2nd – 3rd year after planting. Fruiting time depends on the soil, care and climate. In favorable conditions, the harvest is actively formed over the course of 20 years. Subsequently, the tree, as a rule, begins to age, but there are cases where the appearance of fruits did not stop even at the age of thirty.
Where do peaches grow in Russia?
Peach trees are actively cultivated in the south in regions with warm winters: in the Krasnodar Territory, Dagestan, Crimea and the Caucasus.
Those regions where the air temperature does not drop below +24 from June to September are suitable for growing this crop. oC. And in winter – below -10 oC. At a temperature of -25 oThe tree dies.
However, gardeners also grow peaches in the Moscow region. In this case, the optimal time for planting is the beginning of spring. Prune the plant back to a shrub shape to achieve a higher yield.
Peaches growing in central Russia must be covered for the winter using air structures made of polystyrene foam or expanded polystyrene.
For growing peaches in the Moscow region, Moscow and central Russia, varieties with high winter hardiness are suitable:
- Kyiv Early;
- Red-cheeked;
- Cardinal;
- Redhaven;
- Collins;
- Kremlevsky.
Which peaches are the most delicious?
When choosing a variety for planting, it is also important to consider the desired taste qualities. Below are the 5 most delicious varieties, according to professional gardeners.
Collins
This is an early ripening variety with large yellow-red fruits. Their average weight reaches 150 g. The taste of the pulp is sweet, with a slight sourness.
The Collins variety is famous for its productivity. Therefore, to prevent branches from breaking under the weight of massive fruits, it is important to remove ripe fruits in time.
The culture tolerates frost easily and is immune to powdery mildew and curl. Needs regular feeding, abundant watering and crown pruning.
Kyiv early
An early variety, often grown by summer residents in the Crimea and other regions with a warm spring climate.Produces very juicy, tasty yellow-pink fruits weighing 80 - 100 g.
The plants have high yields and are resistant to cluster blight and powdery mildew. They do not tolerate excessive moisture or dry soil.
Redhaven
Redhaven is another early-ripening variety that adapts to changing climatic conditions. Ideal for both private and industrial breeding.
The fruits are large, weighing 150 - 170 g. The color is closer to orange-golden, there are red inclusions on the skin. The pulp is yellow, delicate in taste, with a pronounced odor.
The variety is resistant to frost and curling, but if not properly cared for, it is susceptible to fungal attack. To avoid such problems, it is important to timely feed and prevent diseases.
Cardinal
Cardinal peaches are medium-sized, weighing 100–150 g, slightly flattened on the sides. The skin is yellow with a carmine blush. Pulp with a fragrant odor. The fruits have high taste and are rated 5 points on the main tasting scale.
This variety does not tolerate frost well and needs special care. It is resistant to powdery mildew.
Kremlevsky
A popular variety that adapts well to any conditions. The fruits themselves are orange-yellow with ruddy red specks, weighing up to 200 g. They have a unique sweet taste and delicate aroma.
Kremlin peaches are immune to most diseases and are characterized by high winter hardiness, which allows them to be grown in regions with cool climates. The tree does not like waterlogged soil, so it is important to carefully control watering. Planting in elevated areas is recommended.
When does the peach season start in Russia?
The ripening season for peaches in Crimea for early varieties begins in mid-June. In the Middle Zone, the peach season begins in August or September.
Is it possible to pick peaches unripe?
Fruits can be picked from branches even when unripe; in this form they are tougher. This is especially true if they need to be transported in the future: soft, ripe fruits may be damaged during transportation. If damaged, the product will deteriorate within 2–3 days.
If you plan to transport in refrigerated conditions, it is recommended to remove the fruits no later than 5 days until they are fully ripe.
The disadvantage of early harvesting is the wrinkling of the skin of the fruit.
How to make peaches ripen at home
Unripe fruits can easily ripen at home. There are several ways to do this:
- Unripe peaches should be placed on flat plates or trays and left for 3 to 5 days at room temperature.
- Place them in a paper bag along with an apple or banana. Leave to ripen at room temperature for a day. Check and increase time if necessary.
- To get juicier fruits, you need to wrap the peaches in a linen napkin. Ripening in this way will take several days.
What can you make from unripe peaches?
Unripe fruits can be used immediately. They make very tasty peach jam for the winter. They are also used to make compotes and jams.
Unripe peaches are also used in preparing second courses. Together with them you can bake chicken, duck, pork, make pizza, fish soup or pilaf. In baking, they are used as a filling for various desserts and pies.
How to store peaches
Only hard, undamaged fruits can be stored for a long time. Ideal temperature – 0 oC. It corresponds to the temperature in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment. A cellar or basement is also suitable. In such conditions, peaches can be stored for a whole month.
The higher the temperature, the less time the fruit will remain fresh. Fruits can be kept at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Conclusion
An amazing tree is the peach, photos of its flowering and fruits only confirm this once again. There are few plants that can compare with it in beauty and taste of fruits. It is not for nothing that since ancient times comparison with a peach has been considered the highest praise for girls.
