PEACH GROWING 7 



ORCHARD MANAGEMENT* 



A successful peach orchard has seldom been grown in sod. It should be cul- 

 tivated from early spring until early midsummer. For this reason, sites on steep 

 slopes are less desirable, because they wash badly unless the orchard is laid out 

 on contours. When cultivation is stopped, a cover crop should be planted which 

 will give the greatest amount of organic matter to be turned under the following 

 spring. 



Because of their habit of bearing, peach trees require more fertilizer than apple 

 trees. Barnyard or poultry manure in moderate quantities is excellent. Of the 

 commercial fertilizers, those carrying nitrogen, particularly mineral n'trogen 

 such as nitrate of soda, have given the best results. The amount to be applied 

 depends on the fertility of the soil and the health and vigor of the trees. A mature 

 tree in good condition should make a terminal growth of from twelve to sixteen 

 inches, and the fertilizer application and pruning should be adjusted to get such 

 a growth. 



With soils cf average fertility, the following amounts of nitrate of soda usually 

 give the desired results: trees one to two years old, 3^ to 1 pound to a tree; trees 

 three to four years old, 2 pounds to a tree; trees five to seven years old, 4 pounds 

 to a tree; and trees eight years old or older, 5 to 6 pounds to the tree. The 

 ripening date of the crop can be delaj^ed several days bj' very liberal applications 

 of nitrogen. This delay may be desirable with some varieties to get them on the 

 market when it is not glutted with fruit from other sections. 



In the past, phosphoric acid and potash generally have proved of little benefit 

 to peach trees. Recently, a number of orchard soils deficient in potash have been 

 found. So there may be soils in Massachusetts where the use of these materials 

 would be profitable. The grower can determine whether his trees will respond 

 to phosphoric acid or potash by applying each to a part of his orchard and noting 

 the results. They will probably be most effective if applied to the cover crop 

 and will then become available to the trees as the crop residue decays. 



Peach trees thrive better if the soil Is well supplied with organic matter. Ma- 

 nure, if it is available, is an excellent source. The usual way of adding organic 

 matter to the soil, however, is by the use of cover crops, planted as soon as culti- 

 vation Is stopped. This has been customarily about the middle of July, but 

 there Is a growing tendency to stop cultivation much earlier — in June or even the 

 last of May. The early cessation of cultivation and sowing of the cover crop 

 has several advantages. It saves time In cultivating. With less cultivation, 

 less organic matter is burned out of the soil. With more time for the cover crop 

 to grow, more organic matter Is produced to be turned under. The earlier com- 

 petition of the cover crop for nutrients and moisture causes the trees to stop grow- 

 ing earlier and harden off more for the winter. On the other hand, there is danger 

 of too much competition during the time the fruit is ripening. In a dry season 

 the competition for water ma>- be so severe that the cover crop will have to be 

 mowed. 



Good cover crops for early sowing are buckwheat (Figure 3), Japanese millet, 

 barley, or, on rather fertile soils, a mixture of buckwheat and Japanese millet or 

 Japanese millet and soy beans. For midsummer, buckwheat and rye aie a good 



*Fertilizer recommendations are based on normal time needs. Growers must keep informed and 

 make such substitutions or alterations as war emergency conditions demand. 



