Plant Advice – Peach Trees

Posted August 3, 2021

Earlier this year, one of our members contacted us for some advice on her container grown peach tree. The plant was growing in a pot in a conservatory and had, for the last few years, had a problem with the leaves discolouring and falling off in the spring. Also, the peaches were no longer sweet and juicy, instead the texture was a bit “corky”.

My first thought was that there was probably an issue with watering and feeding, so I consulted with Caley President Colin Ainsworth to get his thoughts. He agreed, but also thought the problem could be caused by an infestation of Red Spider Mite, something that plants under stress are prone to. He recommended feeding with a slow release fertilser such as Ficote or Osmacote or a dressing of Vitax Q4.

Our member took this advise onboard and also used a biological control for the Red Spider Mite and, I am happy to say, it worked. This summer she had a lovely crop of peaches and I am told they are very juicy!