Trees with velvety and very juicy fruits, which are known as peaches, belong to the pink family and are part of the almond subgenus. Outwardly, they differ very little from the rest of the plants of this class. However, they have one but significant difference. These are their fruits.
Distribution history
It is impossible to reliably say where this culture comes from, although, according to one version, the homeland of peach is China. Wild varieties also grew in India. Then Persians began to cultivate peach trees, and later the plant was brought to Europe - in particular, Italy. And gradually began the widespread dissemination of culture throughout the Eurasian continent.
The peach tree was also cultivated in North America, where these fruits were more used for the manufacture of drinks, including alcoholic ones. Peach cultivation in Russia began in the sixteenth century. True, this garden tree could only be found in the southern regions.
Where peaches grow
In Russia, planting of this culture is concentrated mainly in the south of our country - in Dagestan, Krasnodar Territory, etc. To increase frost resistance in some regions it is grafted on apricot. One of the most frost-resistant varieties for the Russian regions is Krasnoshchekiy. However, in the Voronezh region , the Golden Summer or the Steposhnyak Rossoshansky are growing quite well.
Summer temperatures are not so important for a peach tree than winter ones, however, the duration of fruit ripening depends on them. Russian regions in which the thermometer from June to September does not drop below 24 ° C are most suitable for growing this crop. At the same time, in winter, the temperature should not fall below ten degrees of frost: although the plant tolerates extreme periods, it definitely dies in cold weather of -25 ° C.
In recent years, thanks to the emergence of new, sufficiently frost-resistant varieties, this crop has been grown even in a region such as the middle belt of Russia. And now, with the efforts of breeders, you can not only buy, but even grow the juicy and tasty peach yourself in the gardens of these areas.
In the middle zone of Russia
A photo of this fruit is immediately associated with a hot summer. But not everyone knows that even residents of the Moscow Region can enjoy their own hand-grown peach today. In the northern regions of our country, these trees are planted mainly by amateur gardeners.
In this case, when growing this crop, special options for shelter from frost in a particularly cold winter period are used. For many enthusiasts, peach in central Russia almost annually gives an excellent harvest, delighting with delicate and aromatic fruits in rather harsh conditions.
Due to the fact that the selection of this fruit both in our country and abroad is very intensive, the variety renewal of the culture is much more intensive than other stone fruit. At the same time, specialists are striving to obtain not only frost-resistant varieties, but also those whose fruit is of high quality, suitable for transportation, as well as for storage and processing. However, the main problems that characterize the cultivation of peaches in central Russia are their adaptability to frost and resistance to major diseases, such as curly hair, powdery mildew and others. Judging by the assurances of experts, very hardy varieties of such a plant as peach will be bred in the near future.
In central Russia, a photo of this tree looks more like a bush. And this is understandable: a similar cultivation technology, judging by the reviews, gives excellent results.
Features
Growing a peach in the middle zone of Russia is not an easy task. Many are aware of the fastidious nature of this culture. Therefore, many amateur gardeners, after long unsuccessful attempts and reflections on how to grow a peach in central Russia, came to the conclusion that it bears fruit best in the form of a bush.
From the tree in one trunk, you need to leave only a small (about forty to fifty centimeters high) shoot, which in spring will give an abundant root shoot. From it you need to form bushes that will later bloom and will give a good harvest.
Grade selection
It is necessary to plant a slightly different peach in central Russia. Varieties suitable for the southern regions, practically do not take root here, so many prefer zoned species. You can also get your seedlings by planting seeds, and then selecting only the strongest and most winter-hardy from seedlings.
When buying seedlings in specialized stores, it is necessary to clarify the timing of fruiting of this variety and opt for the earliest ripe and stunted ones. Gardeners of the middle strip leave many positive reviews about the following types: “2--10”, “Dneprovsky”, “Ranny”, “Belgorodsky”.
The peach Krasnoslobodsky in central Russia, which is a frost-resistant variety that can withstand temperatures as low as twenty degrees of cold, also proved to be quite good. In addition, he is quick-growing: already in the second or third year, delicious fruits weighing up to one hundred and fifty grams, rounded in shape, appear on it. White-yellow peaches of this species with a red blush on the side growing in the sun have a juicy sweet flesh with a delicate aromatic taste.
Planting seedlings
In order to have a good harvest in summer, you need to know well about how to grow peach in the middle zone of Russia in the first place, since this crop is new here. And of no small importance in this process is a correctly chosen place for its landing. To do this, select a fairly well-lit area, protected from cold winds. The best option is a place near the southern wall of the building - a house or a summer residence. At the same time, planting of seedlings between trees in the old garden is unacceptable.
The best time for planting a crop such as peach in central Russia is early spring. You can plant it immediately after the earth, having thawed, dries out a little. Experts do not recommend delaying the landing, because otherwise they take root for a long time and sometimes can even die.
In the autumn, planting a tree is undesirable, since the likelihood that immature seedlings will freeze out is high. At the same time, a landing pit with a diameter of up to one meter and a depth selected depending on the type of soil should be prepared around October.
Formation
A peach in central Russia, cultivation reviews of which indicate that the crop yields a crop trimmed to the shape of a bush gives the best crop, immediately after planting, crop. This is done as follows: a seedling is formed like a bowl - without a stem, so that the skeletal branches of the plant depart directly from the soil. All you need to leave over the vaccine is only twenty centimeters to quickly increase the supply of wood and restore the crown as soon as possible in case of freezing, because due to the low laying of the fruit shoots under the snow enough sleeping buds remain on them.
Peach crown is formed from a maximum of five branches located close to each other - at fifteen to twenty centimeters. Subsequently, every spring, when the weather stabilizes and the threat of frost is past, cyclic pruning of peach trees is carried out, like in grapes. Two or three upper annual shoots need to be shortened to twenty-thirty, and already located under them - up to ten centimeters.
This ensures not only the optimal fruiting of peach in central Russia, but also recovery.
In summer, young shoots, reaching a length of up to fifteen centimeters, are pinched above the external kidney, and all unnecessary, including those that appear at the site of the stem, are removed. If any branch surpasses the others in growth, it needs to be shortened by a kidney.
Feeding and watering
For good fruiting and growth, a peach tree growing in the middle lane must be fed two or three times for each vegetation. For the first time, complementary foods should be given in early April. It should be ammonium nitrate and nitroammophosk diluted with water. The second time the same composition needs to be fertilized at the end of April, and the third - in the early days of June.
If the soil is dry, then three days before applying fertilizing, trees need to be watered so as not to burn their roots. Fertilizing strongly growing young trees, experienced gardeners reduce portions by almost half, believing that it is better to undernourish than to overdo it with nutrients. No less relevant are timely watering, especially in dry weather, as well as mulching of the near-stem circle and periodic weed control.
Shelter for the winter
In autumn, over dry peach trees growing in the Russian middle lane, it is imperative to install dry airy shelters, for example, polystyrene or foam plastic boxes, the wall thickness of which should be at least ten centimeters. It is necessary to lay a plastic film on the roof, and in winter it is better to add additional snow to the structure.
In early spring, with the retreat of severe colds, vents must be opened immediately, and in May, when frosts are no longer anticipated, the insulation can be removed completely.
In addition, in winter, the stamb and skeletal branches of peach trees need to be bleached with lime, to which copper sulfate is added , and also tied with reeds or spruce paws, and if there are none, with paper or burlap: any material, except for plastic wrap. This event will protect the culture from frost and sunburn, help to resist damage caused by rodents.
Peach propagation
The seeds of this fruit retain their germination throughout the year. They need to be sown freshly harvested either in autumn or early spring after a preliminary three-month stratification. Moreover, seedlings obtained in this way bloom by the third year.
In addition to seeds, peach in the middle lane of our country can propagate by vaccination or cuttings, however, these methods are somewhat more painstaking and require special preparation from the gardener.