Growing Conditions

• These trees grow in zones 4 through 8. They prefer full sun and well-drained, nutrient-rich, sandy soil. They grow to a height and width of about 6 feet when mature.
  
  

Ease of Maintenance

• Dwarf peach trees require no annual pruning. Harvesting requires no ladder, and diseases and pests are easily seen on this almost eye-level tree.
  
  

Fruit Production

• Dwarf peach trees produce fruit at approximately one to two years of age, a year or two earlier than regular-sized peach trees, according to the National Gardening Association. Fruits are about 3 inches in diameter and grow more closely on the branch than on a standard peach tree, resulting in a high yield in comparison to the size of the canopy.
  
  

Tip

• Lack of heat causes poor taste in the peaches. In cooler areas, white gravel mulch and placement near a light-colored wall increase heat to the peach tree.
  
  

Warning

• Though dwarf peach trees do sometimes succumb to bacterial canker, this is not the only cause of sap on the branches. Dwarf varieties that absorb excessive amounts of water must eliminate the extra moisture, which they do through their branches. This becomes less common as the tree matures.