Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Babcock Peach
Babcock is a long-time favorite white peach, with sweet, juicy, aromatic flesh that is low in acid. It is a freestone, so the pit pulls away from the flesh cleanly. It needs only about 250 to 300 chill hours and sets fruit on its own, so one tree is enough in a Valley yard. Pink blossoms cover the bare branches in spring before the leaves come out.
Best for: a white peach tree for a sunny yard, homegrown fruit from a single tree, and spring blossoms in a fruit or edible garden.
Babcock is a long-time favorite white peach with sweet, juicy, aromatic flesh that is low in acid. It is a freestone, so the pit comes away cleanly for eating fresh or slicing.
It is self-fruitful, so a single tree bears without a second peach nearby. It needs only about 250 to 300 chill hours, and most of the Valley gets about 300 to 400.
Pink blossoms open on the bare branches in spring and draw bees to the garden. Plant it about 12 to 15 feet from other fruit trees so you can reach around it to prune and pick.
Heavy crops need thinning, or the peaches stay small. Birds find ripe fruit first, the trunk can sunburn without white paint, and the leaves and pits are toxic to pets.
- Row of fruit trees12-15 ft apart
- Open planting15-20 ft apart
Water a new tree often while it roots in. Once established, soak the root zone at least 18 inches deep, and up to about 3 feet, about every 1 to 2 weeks while it is growing. In winter, water about once a month.
Prune while the tree is bare, before the buds break in January. Peaches fruit on the growth made the year before, so cut some of it back each winter. Remove crossing and dead branches at the same time.
Soon after fruit set, thin the small peaches so they sit about 4 to 8 inches apart. The fruit left on the tree sizes up better.
Feed in early spring as the tree wakes up, again in May before the heat, and again in September.
Paint the trunk with white tree paint to prevent sunburn. Birds find ripe fruit first, so cover the tree with netting or bag the fruit before it ripens.
Drops its leaves in winter and leafs out again in spring.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Will Babcock fruit in the Valley?
Yes. It needs only about 250 to 300 chill hours, and most of the low desert gets about 300 to 400 a year. Low-chill varieties like this one fruit reliably here.
What kind of peach is Babcock?
It is a white-fleshed freestone with sweet, juicy, aromatic flesh that is low in acid. The pit pulls away from the flesh easily.
Do I need two trees for fruit?
No. Babcock is self-fruitful, so one tree sets fruit on its own. That makes it a good fit for a single spot in the yard.
How big does a Babcock peach tree get?
Most trees reach about 12 to 16 feet tall and about 12 to 15 feet wide. The rootstock and yearly pruning set how big it gets, so winter pruning keeps it easier to pick.
How far apart should I plant peach trees?
Plant them about 12 to 15 feet apart in a row, or 15 to 20 feet apart for open, separate trees. The Spacing tab shows both.
How do I get bigger peaches?
Thin the fruit soon after it sets, leaving about 4 to 8 inches between peaches. The fruit left on the tree grows larger and better.
When and how should I prune it?
Prune in January while the tree is bare, before the buds break. Peaches fruit on last year's growth, so cut back some of that growth each winter to keep new fruiting wood coming.
How often should I water it?
Once it is rooted in, soak the root zone at least 18 inches deep about every 1 to 2 weeks while it is growing. Water about once a month in winter.
When should I fertilize?
Feed in early spring as the tree wakes up, again in May, and again in September.
Does the trunk need protection from the sun?
Yes. Paint the trunk with white tree paint to prevent sunburn.
Are peach leaves and pits safe for pets?
No. The stems, leaves and seeds contain cyanide compounds that are toxic to dogs, cats and horses, and wilted leaves are the worst. Pick up fallen fruit and pits, and call your vet if a pet chews them.
How do I keep birds off the fruit?
Birds find ripe peaches before you do. Drape bird netting over the tree or slip bags over the fruit before it ripens.
Babcock Peach for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Babcock Peach is a classic white-fleshed freestone with sweet, low-acid fruit and a low chill need that suits the Valley. Below is what to expect, including chill hours, tree size, spacing, watering, pruning, thinning and the problems people ask about most.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Best white peach for Phoenix
Babcock is a long-time favorite white peach with sweet, low-acid flesh. It needs only about 250 to 300 chill hours, and most of the Valley gets about 300 to 400.
Is Babcock peach self-pollinating?
Yes. Babcock is self-fruitful, so one tree sets fruit without a second peach tree nearby.
How far apart to plant peach trees in Arizona
Plant them about 12 to 15 feet apart in a row, or 15 to 20 feet apart for open, separate trees.
How to prune a peach tree in Phoenix
Prune in January while the tree is bare, before the buds break. Peaches fruit on last year's growth, so cut some of it back each winter.
Thinning Babcock peaches
Thin the small fruit to about 4 to 8 inches apart soon after it sets. The peaches left on the tree grow larger.
Watering a peach tree in the Valley
Once rooted, soak at least 18 inches deep about every 1 to 2 weeks while it is growing, and about once a month in winter.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.