Nectarine tree: flowering, varieties and care

The nectarine is closely related to the peach. We introduce the smooth mutation of the otherwise furry peaches and offer you tips on growing, caring for and using the nectarine tree yourself.

Anyone who wants to harvest nectarines from their own nectarine tree in the garden does not necessarily need a greenhouse. A juicy fruit will soon emerge from the magnificent nectarine blossom in a sheltered location with plenty of sun. The nectarine tree in a pot is also an option for cold winter regions and brings a touch of the Mediterranean to the terrace.

Nectarine tree: origin, properties and flowering period

Since the nectarines (Prunus persica var nucipersica) a subspecies of peach (Prunus persica) is, the origin can be traced back to the Asian area. As the species name "persica" already suggests, the first cultivations took place in Persia. Nowadays the main growing areas are in Italy, Spain, Greece and France. But nectarines are also cultivated commercially in Germany, especially in southern Germany and the Old Country. So it makes sense to grow the sometimes slightly sour fruits in your own garden.

Depending on the weather, the tree blooms for about a week between March and April. The flowers are white to pale pink and thus resemble those of the peach. A special feature is noticeable with the buds: the nectarine tree develops triplet buds in the best case. This means a flower bud is accompanied by two vegetative side buds. Only this constellation gives large and healthy fruits, because the outer buds develop during the growing season to leaves, which provide the associated fruit with energy through photosynthesis.

The tastiest nectarine varieties

Not all nectarine varieties are suitable for cultivation in Germany, as many have a very high heat requirement that can hardly be met locally. We have selected four recommended and delicious varieties for you.

• 'Fantasy': Medium-early ripening period from mid-August, rather medium-sized yellow-red fruits, firm yellow flesh and rich harvest.
• 'Super Crimson': Early ripening from the end of July, rather medium-sized fruits, yellow flesh, particularly hardy and high-yielding.
• 'Silver Gem': Medium-early ripening period from mid-August, white flesh, low susceptibility to frost with medium yields.
• 'Ruby Gem': Late ripening towards the beginning of September, white flesh, high yield, more thinning is necessary for large fruits.

Planting nectarines: tips for outdoor and pot

There are a few things to consider when planting nectarines. We have compiled important aspects on how best to proceed with this.

Grow your own nectarines

With a little more effort, you can also grow a nectarine tree yourself. However, seeds from nectarines from the supermarket are often not suitable, because the ones there The varieties offered come from warmer, subtropical countries and accordingly have a high need for warmth. Anyone who can find suitable fruit and seeds - for example from a regional fruit grower - should sow them in October. As a rule, fruits from regional cultivation have a higher probability of success.

Here's how to grow a nectarine from a seed:

• Remove the pulp from the seeds.
• Store seeds moist until sowing, e.g. B. in a wet kitchen towel.
• Crack the kernels and remove the almond-shaped seeds.
• Store seeds for one month at 7 °C and constant humidity to remove germination inhibition, for example in a bowl with moist sand.
• After a month, put the seeds up at 15 to 20 °C and keep them moist.
• Germinated seeds in nutrient-poor growth substrate such as Plantura organic herb and seed soil transfer to support root formation.
• Continue to cultivate at 15 to 20 °C.
• Protect from drying out with a greenhouse or plastic hood. Important: Ventilate the small greenhouse daily, otherwise mold can quickly form.
• Once several true leaves have developed, the nectarine can be moved to a warmer spot or outdoors, but first in the shade to protect the foliage from sunburn.

Important: Young nectarine trees are only insufficiently frost hardy and should be protected from winter cold.

Tip: A nectarine tree grown from a core will only begin to flower and bear fruit after it has passed through its youth phase (vegetative phase) of several years. If you don't want to wait that long, you should buy a grafted tree instead of propagating from seeds or graft a nectarine tree yourself.

Cultivation in the pot

The nectarine tree can also be planted in a pot. You can vary with the location and thus meet the needs of the plant in summer and winter. In addition, the nectarine tree can be kept small by limiting the root space.

A pot with a capacity of at least 30 liters should always be chosen for fruit trees. Use a nutrient-rich, structurally stable, well-drained and slightly acidic soil. To prevent the potting soil from collapsing after a short time, it should be mixed with a third of crushed expanded clay - this avoids a lack of oxygen at the roots. When growing in a pot, it is also advisable to tie the small tree so that it grows safely. However, a lower shell is not recommended, since waterlogging should be avoided. Alternatively, you can use gravel, expanded clay or pumice to layer a drainage layer of at least 5 cm in the bucket. So you can also enjoy your little tree on the balcony or terrace.

Tip: Fruit trees in pots in particular need annual nutrients. The substrate available to them quickly no longer contains sufficient nutrients, especially in the case of strong growth and vigorous fruiting. It is best to use an organic complete fertilizer like ours Plantura organic universal fertilizer, which, in addition to the main nutrient elements, also brings in many trace nutrient elements and develops a natural long-term effect. The nutrient elements remain available to plants over a longer period of time and thus guarantee an optimal supply of nutrients.

Outdoor cultivation

A suitable location for the nectarine outdoors is also sunny, warm and sheltered. Once you have found such a place, you can start planting. The best time for this is spring, between March and April.

For this purpose, a planting hole is dug, which should have twice the diameter and depth of the root ball of the tree. Loosen the soil at the bottom of the dug hole. Mature compost or high-quality potting soil, like ours, is generously poured into the planting hole Plantura organic universal soil, distributed to help the tree get started in the new location. Our earth is produced sustainably and without the addition of animal components. It provides nutrients from organic fertilizers for several months. It is best to thoroughly mix the potting soil with the existing soil. Nectarines tend to love dry and well-drained soil. Highly humic or clayey soils that are too heavy should definitely be mixed with at least 30% sand. Before you put the tree in the ground, the roots are slightly scratched and the root ball loosened up. This stimulates the roots to grow again, which is beneficial for growth. The injury stimulates the roots to branch via plant hormones. The resulting fine adventitious roots are particularly important for the supply of the tree. Be sure to water regularly for the first year. A casting ring, which you can model from the excavated soil when planting, is ideal for this.

It is also advisable to keep a self-grown or still small tree in a bucket first and only put it outdoors after two years. A cut is beneficial for the nectarine tree, we will explain more details below.

A support pole is usually driven in the direction from which the wind is expected to be strongest to protect the tree from moving too much or even falling over. The connection should be about a hand’s breadth below the base of the crown. The tying of the tree also has the important purpose of preserving the fine roots by reducing strong above-ground movement.

Tip: You can also plant the nectarine tree in the greenhouse or put the pot in there. This protects the tree from late frosts and meets its need for warmth. After the ice saints, you can put the tree under the open sky with a clear conscience and, with sufficient warmth, you can count on a long-lasting harvest.

Nectarine Tree Care

So that your self-planted tree can thrive, you will find the most important tips for caring for the nectarine tree below.

fertilizing and watering

Since the nectarine comes from rather warmer areas, it gets by with little water. However, it is important to avoid waterlogging in any case.

A layer of mulch, which is distributed around the trunk of the tree, can be used in hot summers save one or two waterings, because the mulch means that less water evaporates and the soil is nice and moist remains. In general, the tree should be protected from lime. Rainwater is best suited for watering.

To maintain the quality of fertile soil before and after planting, a soil fertilizer like ours is recommended Plantura organic soil activator. This can improve the soil structure and humus content and increase the population of microorganisms. These in turn provide long-term nutrients for the plants. The nutrient content of soil activators is relatively low, which meets the rather low requirements of fruit trees. With a pot culture you should make a regular fertilization with all essential nutrients. The easiest way to do this is with an organic fertilizer like our Primarily Organic Plantura organic universal fertilizer because this not only releases the main nutrients nitrogen, phosphates and potassium over a long period of time, but also numerous important trace nutrients.

Cut nectarine tree

The pruning of the nectarine is necessary to guarantee long-term recurring harvests. The nectarine tree develops the best fruit on one-year-old wood, i.e. on branches that were formed the previous year. The aim of the pruning is thus to stimulate the tree to produce this wood in masses. This requires a strong pruning every year. The strong pruning triggers the so-called crazy fruit drive, which results in the formation of many triplet buds, which produce particularly high-quality fruit. The shape of a bush tree is recommended, which ensures more protection against frost. In addition, a light and open crown should be the goal, because this brings about a rejuvenation of the wood.

A pruning of the nectarine tree is possible at different times. You can also prune the tree several times a year, as it usually grows very happily. Recommended times are after harvest (August to September) or just before flowering (February).

First of all, it is important to remove hanging branches, as these grow weakly. Furthermore, light should be brought into the tree. This also means that twigs that grow very vertically and crossing branches are to be removed. Always keep branches that are easy to ascend, young, and growing in a favorable direction so as not to compete with any other shoot.

Now the leading branches of the nectarine tree are processed. They come from the middle shoot of the tree or - in the case of a funnel crown - from several main shoots and carry the fruit wood. Young, healthy leaders are not pruned. Older shoots that have already borne fruit in the past year are shortened to a stub about 20 cm long - they are replaced by the younger shoots. This alternating pruning creates new shoots on the stubs or elsewhere, which grow for the following year's harvest.

Throughout the crown, you should be careful to avoid crossing shoots so that a single branch has enough space. In the end, two to four leading branches should remain in each cardinal direction.

Important: As with all types of stone fruit, the nectarine is always cut in such a way that a cone or stub remains. Because stone fruit has only a low ability to heal wounds and dries up a good deal instead of overflowing wounds. This means that with a cut, two eyes, i.e. new shoot buds, are always left standing.

Pruning nectarine trees at a glance

• Possible at several times.
• The nectarine tree bears fruit on one-year-old wood, so wood regeneration should be carried out by pruning.
• The alternating cut guarantees a rich harvest in the long term.
• Thin, weak branches or branches that grow in the wrong direction are not wanted, nor are vertical shoots.
• The goal is a light, open bush tree shape.

Nectarine Tree: Diseases and Pests

Nectarines are susceptible to a number of diseases, including insects and fungal and bacterial pathogens.

• Curling disease: Fungal attack that causes the leaves to curl when the weather is too humid during budding.
• Scab and buckshot: fungal infestation affecting fruit and leaf formation; however, this is also reflected in shoots.
• Aphids: Due to feeding damage, buds do not bloom and leaves are eaten.

Tip: Always remove fruit mummies from the tree - these are fruits that are already beginning to dry up but are still hanging on the tree. These serve as spore stores during peak drought and fruit rot and ensure renewed infection in the following year.

Is the nectarine tree hardy?

It should be noted that while the wood is often robust, the early flowering is at risk of freezing in late frosts, jeopardizing the harvest. In the meantime, however, the variety of varieties is so large that there are numerous varieties that are not only hardy, but - going even further - also very robust against strong temperature fluctuations, wind and frosty ground temperatures are. Nevertheless, a warmer and more sheltered place in the garden should be chosen and not one that is cold in winter. A suitable variety would be the 'Silver Gem'.

Plants in pots should be placed in a sheltered place in winter or after the end of the vegetation period - i.e. after the harvest. Nevertheless, peaches and nectarines have a certain cold need that must be satisfied so that the buds sprout evenly and vigorously after the winter. The tree should therefore not be overwintered indoors, but only frost-proof. 0 to 10 °C are optimal here.

Harvest time and use of nectarines

Depending on the variety and location, the nectarine ripens on the tree from the end of June to September and can then be gradually harvested. The best way to check the fruit is with the pressure test. If the skin gives slightly, you can harvest the fruit. It is advisable to harvest the nectarines continuously, as the maturation extends over several weeks.

Even young, grafted trees produce fruit relatively quickly after planting. Nevertheless, one cannot expect any fruit in the first year. In the second year, depending on the variety, and by the third year at the latest, the tree produces flowers that herald the first successful harvest. Young trees in particular should be prevented from fruiting in order to promote growth. To do this, simply remove the fruit that forms.

Nectarines have many uses. Whether in jams, in a cake, to decorate or enhance appetizers or for use for desserts - the nectarine convinces with its sweet juice, which the name "nectarine" already suggests announces. Unlike peaches, nectarines have a lower water content but more sugar. Whether in a fruit salad or simply with a snack – a nectarine can and should be eaten with the skin on, as it contains the most vitamins.

Are nectarines not exotic enough for you? Advanced hobby gardeners with a bright conservatory or south-facing window can also Cultivation of pineapple to attempt.