The Life Of A Peach Tree
By fishtiger58
@fishtiger58 (29823)
Momence, Illinois
February 28, 2016 8:23am CST
When we moved to our current house almost 14 years ago we decided we needed some fruit growing. We moved in July so it was to late to plant a vegetable garden or any fruit trees we wanted to have. So all winter we planned our vegetable garden out and more importantly to us what types of fruit trees our yard could sustain.
The next spring we went to get plants and a tree. My oldest son wanted a peach tree and my husband thought that would be to big for our yard. But we found a two year old dwarf peach tree and bought it. I can't even begin to tell you how many peaches we have gotten off that tree the past 13 years but it's easily in the thousands. I do believe I will never buy another peach in a store again. The peaches we got were the most amazing peaches I have ever eaten. As well I still have peach jam in my deep freezer.
Sadly our peach tree is on it's last legs. Apparently peach trees average 12 years of life and then die. Ours is going to be 15 years old this spring and it's showing it's age. Less leaves and less fruit. I think we might get another year or two with this tree but every spring I'm surprised by how much it has changed. It might be time for a new tree.
This photo is of a peach on my tree.
20 people like this
19 responses
@hexeduser22 (7253)
• Philippines
29 Feb 16
@LadyDuck I'm not good when it comes to plants and gardening... I thought 15 years is already a very long lifespan for a tree
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (458053)
• Switzerland
29 Feb 16
@fishtiger58 You are right, also because the taste is so much better.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Feb 16
12 years 400 peaches per average a year, worth it go for it Anna.
3 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
28 Feb 16
bless yer heart, i can relate! i'd 2 dwarf peach trees (jest fer the ease'f harvestin', had plenty'f room, lol) that we enjoyed fer many years. sometimes findin' the need to build 'rests' fer the branches they'd be so laden with peaches. nothin' beats one fresh off the tree! 'n then one summer a thunderboomer came through 'n i'll be danged if'n both didn't get struck by lightnin' durin' the storm. split one nearly completely'n half 'n jest shattered the bark'f the other. they ne'er recovered 'n i ne'er got 'round to replacin' 'em.
perhaps yer tree jest needs some fertilizer 'r perhaps its gotten bores?? best'f luck!
2 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
29 Feb 16
@PainsOnSlate yes ma'am, gotta do somethin' with all that weight. 'course my papaw always said a 'normal' person'd not allow so many to be'n the tree 'n ripen, lol. bless his soul.
2 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
28 Feb 16
I remember my dad putting crutches under some of the limbs on our peach trees too. @crazyhorseladycx
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Feb 16
We have some branches propped up too for that very same reason. And yes our tree has bores. We have treated it and those little buggers won't leave our tree along. We have a cherry tree that has a problem too but that one for sure is a goner. Just a shame. We don't use pesticides so we have our problems. Going to replace the cherry tree as well.
@infatuatedbby (95001)
• United States
28 Feb 16
I originally thought the peach tree was kiwis. My parents have fruit in their backyard and it's so delicious! But we still buy fruits at the store too.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (95001)
• United States
28 Feb 16
@fishtiger58 I never really seen a kiwi tree before just in photos. I wonder if they are popular?
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Feb 16
I will buy grapes, bananas, and apples. Those are the best. I love fresh grown fruits, so sweet. But no peaches are not kiwi. Kiwi is native to Australia but can be grown in the US as well. We have thought about Kiwi not sure we are going to give that a try.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Feb 16
@infatuatedbby I'm not sure, but they are a tasty fruit. Sort of a dark lime green inside with tiny black seeds you can eat. Delicious. I don't think I have seen a kiwi tree either
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
28 Feb 16
The birds don't bother them? Two summers ago we wen to SC when it was peach season in GA...we saw the signs on I-75 for miles and miles...had to stop. I have never tasted a peach that good in my 68 years. They weren't cheap but they were well worth the money. I had 10 of them to eat since my husband doesn't like them...so it took almost a week and the last one was just as good as the first one.
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
28 Feb 16
@fishtiger58 It's like any thing from the garden. I just ate peas that we picked and froze 5/31/15 - even frozen you can't compare them to store bought frozen! I was in heaven.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Feb 16
Oh yes the birds and the squirrels love them, but we usually get around 400 peaches each season so we don't mind sharing. I so agree with you tree ripened peaches are hard to describe they are just amazingly good.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Feb 16
@AbbyGreenhill I know what you mean, I rarely eat tomatoes which I love but are awful from the store. I eat way to many BLT sandwiches in the fall when the tomatoes are ready.
1 person likes this
@Scindhia (1906)
• India
29 Feb 16
There were two peach trees in my uncle's house. As kids we loved those trees. We always played next to it while our granny sat on the veranda watching us. The fruits were yummy too. Those trees are no more now. Its sad to see something being a part of life so long end.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
29 Feb 16
@Scindhia I wish we could plant another this spring but there just isn't room. The old peach tree would have to come down first.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
29 Feb 16
I hate to lose this tree, but there's nothing we can do, it's at the end of it's life span.
1 person likes this
@Scindhia (1906)
• India
29 Feb 16
@fishtiger58 That is the law of life. To be born is uncertain but to die is certain. Plant a new one close by!
1 person likes this
@slund2041 (3315)
• United States
29 Feb 16
I am sorry you are losing your peach tree. You will have to plant a new peach tree, so you will have fresh peaches and not have to purchase them in a store.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
29 Feb 16
We have already started to discuss what variety of peach we are going to buy. I hate to lose a tree but there's not much we can do about it.
@Juliaacv (48420)
• Canada
28 Feb 16
I would just love a peach tree, but my husband tells me that it would attract the bees, which I am very afraid of, so we don't have any plans on planting one. You've had great success with your tree and enjoying an abundance of fruit off of it over the years.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Feb 16
Yes we love our peach tree, and so do the neighbors as we can't possibly eat all the fruit every spring. I really haven't noticed a ton of bees but yes the bees help with pollination. However our peach tree is self pollinating so that may be why I don't see so many bees around it.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (48420)
• Canada
28 Feb 16
@fishtiger58 I had no idea that they are self pollinating, that is some good information that I can use when I begin my plea to ask him, yet again, if we can plant one! This has been an on-going thing with us for a few years now.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Feb 16
@Juliaacv They are not all self pollinating you can research and find out which ones do. Ours is a Reliant Peach Tree. You also have to make sure the peach tree you select is good for your area. Some will not survive a cold winter but some will so that's another thing to consider.
1 person likes this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
28 Feb 16
when we lived in England we had a plum tree and an apple and cherry tree, and enjoyed good harvests of fruit every year, it's a shame your tree may be on its last legs, do you know what variety it is, so perhaps you could get another one of the same.. ??
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Feb 16
Yes ours is a Reliant peach, so the flesh is white instead of the more common yellowish orange. We are thinking we are going to try a different variety next time. We do love the Reliant though.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Feb 16
I'm thinking within the next couple of years we are going to have to plant. Yes they sure don't live long. My friend in North Carolina let hers continue to grow, it didn't die but was real narly and the peaches it produced were like a small stone.
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
28 Feb 16
We arein the fruit belt and there is a tone fruits sold at the side of the road. I love fresh peaches. I also love your photo. I think if you've had it for 12 years it doesn't owe you anything. Cool tree to feed you...
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
29 Feb 16
I also will buy fruit at road side stands, those come from farmers who don't pick the fruit until it's ripe. Michigan grows fantastic peaches, and cherries. We always get some on the way home from visiting our son.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Feb 16
The squirrels and the birds like them, however we usually get about 400 peaches per season so we don't mind sharing.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246720)
• United States
28 Feb 16
@fishtiger58 Thanks for letting me know!
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Feb 16
@DianneN You are more than welcome
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
29 Feb 16
You do have to research which peach trees are cold resistant. There are some, but not all peach trees will survive a cold winter.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
29 Feb 16
Yes we will be getting another, defiantly another dwarf tree. We may want to try a different variety of peach though, we are discussing it.
@GardenGerty (157551)
• United States
28 Feb 16
We are planning for fruit trees on our property and have selected the spot for them. We pruned the peach trees in the community garden yesterday. There are very old, untended grape vines in the back.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Feb 16
I think peach trees can live longer than 12 years ours has, but it's almost time for a new one.
@hexeduser22 (7253)
• Philippines
29 Feb 16
Try to save some of its seeds. That's not just a good tree but a blessing
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
28 Feb 16
I had no idea that peach trees only last so long..does the tree itself die or does it still stand and just no produce fruit? I once had a cherry-willow tree..I miss it, but that was when I lived in a house, a fond memory.
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Feb 16
I do too, we are thinking about getting a different variety next time.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
28 Feb 16
Thank you for sharing such an interesting story and accompanied by a photo too. I have never seen a peach growing and I love them. I had to look to see where abouts in American you were living and I am so surprised that it is not too far away from Chicago which is quite north and I am sure you have really cold winters there. Are the summers hot too? I do not think peaches would grow here in the UK I think most of ours come from Italy and Spain.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
28 Feb 16
Yes I am in the Chicago area all my life. There are certain varieties of peaches than can handle the cold winters, and some that can't. You just have to research to see which ones can survive the weather in your area. We didn't think we could grow peaches either and we were pleasantly surprised when we found a variety that could. Our winters are usually pretty cold, many times below zero, add the howling winds... Chicago is know at the Windy City, and it brutal here in the winter.
