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Originally Posted by jtharper76
Ok Now I know what types of peaches and Satsuma I want to plant. My question now is when do I put these trees in the ground??
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ASAP...Any fruit tree planted in the extreme south needs time to develop some roots before the heat of summer....especially if you have sandy or loose soil. The bigger the hole with any needed amendments or ph correction, the better. DO NOT FERTILIZE or use any fertilizer type root starters. Fill the hole with water before planting and let it finish absorbing before doing anything else. Also would help to use a dormant oil spray to help prevent dehydration (speaking about peaches as I have no experience with a satsuma). Will have to look up what a satsuma is. Do spray for insects before and after the blooming period, but it is best not to allow it to set fruit the first year. Prune the peach considerably. I find it best even with the typical open/vase shape to allow about six inches between the branches. Optimally you want three or four that are at various levels surrounding the main trunk. peaches need air and light in the middle and a strong framework. Having branches directly across from one another is an invitation to later splitting when they have to bear weight. Sterilize your pruners with a tablespoon of bleach in a gallon of water. If you have a lot of broken or tangled/misfigured roots...take it back for another. The same goes for roots that have been overly cut and are too short. In sandy soil it is best to stake and wire. Water regularly, but don't keep the soil always wet; that invites pests and disease. Do look for any signs of wilted leaves, swellings in the branch stems or little holes with sap oozing later. Start fertilizing the following spring, but don't use a high nitrogen fertilizer even then, just a balanced 10-10-10 and trace elements if needed. Don't buy a dwarf peach...even the standard peach is compact and has far hardier rootstock. Buy only a tree that has healthy looking bark with moisture, no cuts or bark scrapes, and limb spacing that will allow you to prune it to the proper shape. If it is potted in anything that looks like pure pine bark and wood chips, get rid of the "soil". Don't use too much sphagnum and don't use manure when planting. Just use enough soil amendment to lighten the soil if needed.