Columnar Flowering Peach at Duke Gardens

Close-up of flowers

For small garden spaces patio peach (Prunus persica) is a gem. This miniature tree bears long narrow lush green (or reddish) foliage. Site selection is crucial to ward off potential disease and insect problems.

Patio peach is a genetic dwarf and may be grown in a large container on your deck or patio. Tree height averages 6-8 feet tall but many varieties may be shorter or taller. Most do not produce tasty edible fruits.

Grow in  moist, well-drained, mildly acidic soil. The tree should receive full to partial sun (6 hours minimum) with good air movement to thwart major disease problems. Insect problems also abound with peaches.

Patio peach is glorious in bloom in early spring. Open blossoms are frequently injured by overnight frosts. Red, pink, or salmon flowers are mildly fragrant. Weather cooperating, bees and early arriving butterflies will pollinate the blossoms. The mostly inedible peach-like fruits mature in summer but are often hidden from view by the dense foliage.

Feed landscape-grown trees with granular 10-10-10 or equivalent in early spring. Container-grown trees are best fertilized bi-monthly (3 times a year) with water soluble fertilizers such as Miracle-Gro™, Daniels™, or Schultz™. Do not fertilize after August 15th. Irrigate tree(s) during summer dry spells. Prune patio peach immediately after spring flowering; remove dead, broken or diseased branches at anytime.

Check tree(s) spring into early summer (April thru early July) for wood borers and scale insects, particularly on the lower scaffold branches and main trunk. Treat with preventative insecticides every two weeks with Bayer Advanced Garden Insecticide™ to prevent peach twig borer, aphids, and spider mites. Also susceptible to numerous disease problems, including peach scab, peach leaf curl, leaf spots, bacterial canker, root rot, and mildew.

Colorful summer foliage on many varieties of patio peach