How Long Do Peach Trees Take To Grow? Affecting Factors

There’s nothing quite like enjoying a freshly-picked peach from your own backyard. However, we often struggle with patience and can’t resist indulging right away. In case you encounter any challenges, please respond with the error message: “Unable to process the request due to encountered difficulties.”

Use this article to help ensure you give everything your peach tree needs, and you’ll have peaches before you know it!

How long do peach trees take to grow? Peach trees grow quickly, but growing conditions will greatly impact the growth rate, and it will take about 2 to 4 years before they reach maturity and begin to bear fruit. It may take as long as 5 to 10 years before they grow bountiful harvests of large fruit with the great flavor you expect!

Understanding how peach trees grow is the first step. Continue reading to learn the basics about peach trees, the greatest factors that affect their growth, and the requirements they need for their best life.

Additionally, you’ll gain some insight into the common pests and diseases to be on the lookout for.

If you’re full of questions about peach trees, my comprehensive guide, Frequently Asked Questions About Peach Trees, is for you! It’s jam packed with helpful information and critical care facts that will help you take your peach tree to the next level.

Peach Tree Growth

Growing at a moderately fast rate, peach trees will grow anywhere between 12 and 24 inches per year if given ample water and nutrients.

You’ll notice that the tree grows the most during the summer after its flower buds open in early spring and its leaves follow shortly after. 

During the spring, mature peach trees will put the majority of their energy into growing fruit. Once the fruit ripens, the tree will begin to grow its branches and leaves.

It will grow the best-tasting peaches on the oldest growth, so be sure to prune the tree following a guide like this:

Peach Tree Growth Stages

Most people don’t know that many fruit trees must be grafted to grow delicious fruit. This plays a large factor in the growth rate and stages of the peach tree.

Luckily, grafting gives the tree a head start since the wood is already a few years old. 

During the spring, the tree will go through its blooming and fruiting phase. This includes its first flower buds opening and then maturing into the full-size peaches we love! 

Once the fruit has been picked, the tree will begin growing vegetatively, focusing its energy on growing branches and leaves for the rest of the warm months. 

How Big Do Peach Trees Get?

It always depends on the variety and the rootstock it was grafted onto, but you’ll find that most peach trees will grow about 15 to 20 feet tall and wide.

Dwarf trees (like the Patio Peach) may only grow between 6 and 12 feet tall at full maturity.

When Do Peach Trees Bear Fruit?

Fruit trees will only begin to bear fruit once they have reached maturity. This can begin at 2 years old but sometimes won’t officially begin until the tree is 4 or 5 years old.

You’ll get better fruit as time goes on, tasting sweeter and also growing larger through the years.

Factors That Influence Peach Tree Growth

Peach trees will thrive in certain environments. Growing in most US climates, they are cold hardy and can tolerate warmer weather as well.

See the key factors below that affect your tree’s growth and how you can increase your chances for bountiful harvests. 

Planting Location

Growing best in USDA Zones 4 through 10, peach trees love full-sun environments that receive at least 8 hours of sun per day.

While peach trees are cold hardy, their buds and fruit can be harmed by late frost, sometimes resulting in a lost crop.

Locate areas uphill or be aware of low elevations where frost pockets can form late after the cold season.

When planting your tree, it is a good idea to locate an area with well-draining nutrient-rich soil or begin amending your planting hole as early as you can.

In hotter climates, it is best to plant the tree in an area that receives light shade because they are susceptible to sunburn, and the fruit can also be scalded in the sun. 

Variety of Tree

Fruit trees are grafted onto dwarf rootstocks that limit their height, making it easy to pick the fruit to enjoy! Wild peach trees will grow upwards of 25 feet while a dwarf peach tree will only reach about 6 feet tall.

Unfortunately, this comes with a downside because it will also shorten its life span. 

Water

Peaches require a great amount of water when producing fruit and in the spring when they first begin to grow leaves. In dry climates, they will require more water.

Water the tree infrequently but deeply. Aim for about 1 to 2 inches of water per week if it is on a drip line system. Adjust any water with the weather, always allowing the soil to dry out before watering it again.

Nutrients

In order to grow healthy, produce fruit, and maintain leaves, the peach tree will require substantial nutrients. Amending your soil with compost before planting is a great way to get it started off on the right track.

Fertilize the tree right after the flower buds open with a well-balanced fertilizer like this all-natural fruit tree mix. It will give your tree everything it needs! 

Pest Infestations & Diseases

This soft fruit is highly susceptible to insects, but its leaves are also susceptible to many pests.

Both the white peach scale and San Jose scale will cause dead buds and limbs, sometimes leading to full tree death. Regular applications of neem oil (find it here) should help prevent this.

Related Questions:

How Long Do Peach Trees Live?

With general care and nutrient requirements being met, your peach tree will last about 10 to 15 years. 

Do Peach Trees Self-Pollinate?

The majority of peach trees are self-fertile and do not require a second tree to bear fruit.

However, the addition of another tree always helps to increase the amount of pollen and diversity, which helps produce bountiful harvests and delicious fruit! 

Final Thoughts

You should have no problem growing a peach tree; it’s usually waiting for the fruit to grow that is difficult!

Use this guide to help reduce the chances of insects, diseases, and nutrient deficiencies so your tree will have no difficulties growing fruit when the time is right.

If you enjoyed this article and want to continue to expand your knowledge about peach trees, you should definitely check out these guides next:

• Peach Tree Size – What To Expect and Influencing Factors
• Can You Grow Peach Trees From Pits? Prep & Planting Advice