Cultivation and Management Techniques for Dried Peaches
Biological Characteristics
1. Peaches prefer sunlight and warm climates, and grow best in fertile sandy soil with good drainage. They are susceptible to waterlogging and do not grow well in low-lying alkaline soil. Young trees have weak cold resistance and are prone to frost damage. They can tolerate pruning but have a relatively short lifespan.
2. Nectarines thrive in full sunlight but can also grow in partially shaded areas. They are cold-resistant and drought-tolerant, and can be grown in relatively poor and barren mountains.
Cultivation Techniques
1. Peaches are mainly propagated by grafting. Use nectarines or fuzzy peaches as rootstocks to enhance their resistance to waterlogging and cold. Peach pits can be stratified in damp sand to facilitate cracking and germination. Sow the seeds in March and they will germinate in early April. Seeds that have been stratified can be sown in autumn. Choose well-drained high-lying land to cultivate peach seedlings, which can grow 20-30cm tall in the autumn of the first year. Grafting is usually done in late August or mid-September, using the whip-and-tongue or cleft grafting method. Alternatively, bud grafting can be done in early April using the chip budding or patch budding method.
2. Nectarines are propagated by seeds. Harvest ripe fruits from June to September, remove the flesh, wash the seeds in water, dry them, and store them in sand. Sow the seeds in early March to early April, with row spacing of 35cm × (20-30)cm and a depth of 5-6cm. Cover the seeds with soil, water them, and the seedlings will emerge in about 15 days. Nurture the seedlings in the nursery for 1-2 years before transplanting them. Autumn sowing can be done from mid-October to early November using seeds harvested in the same year without stratification. Nectarine seedlings are usually used as rootstocks for peach tree varieties.
Field Management
1. Peaches require regular pruning and enhanced soil, fertilizer, and water management.
2. Nectarines should be fertilized, watered, and weeded promptly after seedlings emerge. After planting and fruiting, pruning should be done in winter every year to remove excessive growth, dense branches, diseased and insect-infested branches, and weak branches, in order to improve ventilation, light penetration, and fruit yield.
Disease and pest control 1. Peaches have weak disease resistance and are prone to insect damage. Peach anthracnose mainly affects the fruits, leaves, and new shoots. Spray a 3% Bordeaux mixture before bud sprouting and a 65% zinc dust solution in 2-3 treatments after bud sprouting. Gummosis occurs on the branches and trunk. Strengthen cultivation management, whitewash the branches to prevent frost damage and sunburn, and control pests that feed on the branches. Peach aphids attack the leaves. Spray a 3% Bordeaux mixture before bud sprouting and a 2.5% cypermethrin solution at the growth stage.
2. Nectarines are susceptible to peach leaf curl, which affects the leaves, new shoots, and fruits, and can cause leaf drop and even branch dieback. Spray a 5% Bordeaux mixture before bud sprouting. Common pests include peach twig borer and peach aphids.
