Red flowering peach tree

Here is some essential information for gardeners in colder climates or with limited land—so you can ensure a successful peach-growing experience! Dwarf varieties of peaches are easily grown in containers, as long as you can provide the necessary cold period in winter (with shelter, if too cold outside) and enough warmth in the summer.

Growing your peaches in containers

Small potted peach tree

Choose a large pot or tub at least 18 inches wide and deep that is well-drained.

Plant your tree in a commercial potting mix and remember to always keep the soil evenly moist—not wet. Feed your potted peach with an all-purpose fertilizer that is slightly higher in potassium than other ingredients.

Repot your tree after two years into a container that is 24 inches wide and deep. Leave it outside to take advantage of winter, but protect it in colder regions during the winter by placing it in a shed or garage.

Stark, Sensation, and Garden Gold dwarf peach varieties are good choices for containers.

Growing your peaches in open land

Open-land peach tree in full bloom

Choosing a more permanent spot for your peach crop is a bit trickier. For starters, peach trees like slightly sandy, well-drained soil. They don’t like consistently wet feet or low locations where frost and cold winds can settle around the tree. Also, even if you choose an elevated spot, peach trees need to be protected from wind.

In cool summer regions, choose the warmest microclimate in your garden to plant peaches. Try a spot near a building where reflected heat will warm the tree. You also want a spot where there’s good air flow and the tree will get at least six hours of sun a day—most of it preferably in the morning to allow the sun to dry dew from fruit.

The soil must also be between 6 and 7 in pH level. Plant standard trees 18 feet apart, and plant dwarf trees 5 feet apart.

• • Tip: Don’t plant a peach tree where another peach has recently grown. The decaying roots emit a chemical that can kill new tree roots.

How do you grow your peaches—in open land, in raised beds, or in containers? Why do you prefer your method? Please tell us your tips and tricks for creating an awesome peach orchard.