Overloaded peach trees

[Smiles Jr.]

I have 5 peach trees - 3 yrs. old - that are so heavily loaded with fruit that I'm very concerned about the limbs breaking. I have dozens of 2x4s and 2x2s propping up the branches but I'm afraid it isn't enough. What do you guys do? Is this a case where some thinking was needed two months ago? After my grapes failed and the small veggie garden is under-performing I was happy to see all the peaches. I'm doing this post on my new smartphone so anything could happen. Here's one of many pictures.

 

[ducks4you]

Thin them out. Peach trees don't recover well when you snap a limb. I have used sawhorses before to hold up fruit tree limbs, for the lower ones.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

thinning is in order.

i wish the trees in or area fared so well. none will be harvested this year at the local pick your own farm. & i haven't seen any on my trees either.

 

[journey11]

Lucky you! Yeah, peach trees don't sucker and regrow limbs like apples do. The scaffolding you've got is it, and they grow outward from there.

Looks like you are really close to harvest... Can you thin out the smaller or bug-eaten ones? Fruit should have one fist's width between them optimally. I wouldn't want to take any chances on breaking such a good tree. Enjoy your bounty!

 

[catjac1975]

I have 5 peach trees - 3 yrs. old - that are so heavily loaded with fruit that I'm very concerned about the limbs breaking. I have dozens of 2x4s and 2x2s propping up the branches but I'm afraid it isn't enough. What do you guys do? Is this a case where some thinking was needed two months ago? After my grapes failed and the small veggie garden is under-performing I was happy to see all the peaches. I'm doing this post on my new smartphone so anything could happen. Here's one of many pictures.View attachment 15329

Selective reduce the peaches. prune the trees next winter to reduce branches.

 

[PhilaGardener]

Looks like a great crop coming along but you do need to thin. A sun ripened peach is a glorious moment, but you want to think of the tree first so you can enjoy those again and again.

 

[Nyboy]

Even though the peach trees in my area failed mine where loaded with peaches. Then some 4 legged guest helped them selves to everyone. After the peaches they hit the pears. Enjoy peach pie

 

[ducks4you]

My old peach tree that produced marvelously until it died was in my horses's south pasture (before I moved the fencing.) They thoroughly enjoyed helping themselves and were sure to spit out the pits.

 

[Smiles Jr.]

There must be a thousand peaches on each tree. I'm not getting around too well these days but this morning I wired a ten foot 2x4 to the trunks of three trees and, sorta like an umbrella, ran ropes down to the low branches. I picked each branch up to a reasonable height and tied it off there. Seems like it is working very well. So far anyway. I have pictures but it's a pain to send them with this phone.

 

[Smiles Jr.]

Here's a few pics.


With the branches loaded and drooping to the ground a 10ft. two by four was just the right height.


Ropes everywhere.



Lots of peaches on the ground today.