Should You Be Planting A Peach Tree In The Fall? Here's Why It Might Be Worth It

The best time to plant a peach tree was 10 years ago, but the second-best time is today. Well, only if "today" is in the fall. Compared to other fruit trees, a peach tree can be delicate, so it's important to consider planting conditions — like the season — to ensure your tree survives until the spring. Though peach trees won't produce fruit for a few years, you can speed up their fruiting timeline by establishing the best conditions for them at planting.

Depending on your climate, planting conditions vary season by season, and since peach trees can be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 through 10, you might not be sure what your peach tree needs. In general, there are upsides to planting in fall: Fall makes for a good planting time because of its balanced weather, and it marks the beginning of the peach tree's dormancy period, which peaks in late winter. To avoid trauma to the tree, it should be planted when it's dormant, making fall a good choice to achieve both optimum conditions and spring flowering. Peach trees are commonly planted in the late winter or early spring, but if you don't want to wait for next year, fall can be a good second choice. While you can grow peach trees from a humble seed, fall planting best suits saplings and grafted trees.

Though peach trees can grow in zones 4 through 10, they prefer zones 6 through 8. Even in the peach-preferred zones, you should approach fall planting differently, as peaches can be grown in containers and as bare-root trees. In zones 7 and below, the colder climate hardens the ground, making it difficult for trees planted in the fall to establish an adequate root system. If you are planting a peach tree in the fall in these zones, it would be better to plant it in a container, where you can control the soil and move the tree if it gets too cold.

In zones 8 and above, you can plant your peach tree in either a container or as a bare root tree during most times of the year, including fall. A bare root tree will survive winter better in these climates when planted during its fall dormant period. Containers are also good options even in warmer zones, since you can include the tree's existing soil. Once you transplant your peach tree sapling into a container, water it regularly to keep it healthy until its growing season, but make sure not to drown the roots. Any plant in a container is more susceptible to root rot, so make sure the container drains properly.

Whether you have planted your peach tree in a container or in the ground, you'll need to provide continuous care, even though it might not be doing much in its fall and winter dormant state. If you have a dwarf or semi-dwarf tree, you should insert a solid stake near the tree's trunk to support its weight until it is strong enough to do so on its own. Prune the tree soon after planting to train it into a vase shape, which is best for bearing fruit. When summer rolls around, you should prune the tree again to encourage it to maintain this shape. 

To protect your tree from hungry rabbits after its tasty bark, wrap the tree's base with a tree guard, and to protect it from drying out, cover the surrounding soil with mulch. As the peach tree matures, establish a schedule when watering your peach tree for the best fruit in the spring. Fall planting is often shadowed by looming winter, but you can protect your trees from frost damage by covering them with old sheets or a tarp, which helps trap heat from the ground and keeps the tree warm even during freezing temperatures.