Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Desert Delight Nectarine
Desert Delight Nectarine is a very low-chill nectarine, needing only about 100 to 200 chill hours, so it suits warm-winter yards. The large fruit has bright red skin, yellow flesh and rich nectarine flavor. It is an early-season nectarine, one of the first of the year, and it is self-fruitful, so one tree sets fruit.
Best for: an early nectarine crop in a warm-winter yard, a single self-fruitful tree, and late-winter blossoms for bees.
Desert Delight needs only about 100 to 200 chill hours, among the lowest for nectarines. Most of the Valley gets about 300 to 400, so it fruits reliably.
The large fruit has bright red skin and yellow flesh with rich flavor. It is an early-season nectarine, one of the first of the year.
It is self-fruitful, so a single tree sets fruit. Thin the small fruit to about 4 to 8 inches apart for bigger nectarines.
Paint the trunk white to prevent sunburn. Cover ripening fruit from birds. Peach tree borer can kill young trees at the base of the trunk.
- Row of fruit trees15 ft apart
- Open planting15-20 ft apart
Water new trees often while they root 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 the tree is growing. In winter, water about once a month.
Nectarines fruit on the growth made the year before, so prune them harder than other fruit trees. Prune in January while the tree is dormant, before the buds break.
Soon after fruit set, thin the small fruit so they sit about 4 to 8 inches apart. The fruit left on the tree grows larger and 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 bird 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 it fruit in the Valley?
Yes, it is a low-chill variety needing about 100 to 200 chill hours, and most of the Valley gets about 300 to 400 a year. Pick low-chill varieties like this one for a reliable crop.
When does Desert Delight ripen?
It ripens early in the season, one of the first nectarines of the year. Pick as the fruit colors fully and softens slightly.
Do I need two trees for fruit?
No. It is self-fruitful, so a single tree sets fruit on its own, which makes it a good pick for a small yard.
What does the fruit look like?
The fruit is large, with bright red skin, yellow flesh and rich nectarine flavor. Thin it early for the biggest fruit.
How do I get bigger nectarines?
Thin the fruit soon after it sets, leaving about 4 to 8 inches between them. The fruit left on the tree grows larger.
When should I prune a nectarine?
Prune in January, while the tree is dormant. Nectarines fruit on last year's growth, so prune them harder than other fruit trees.
How often should I water it?
Water new trees often while they root in. Once established, soak it deep, at least 18 inches, about every 1 to 2 weeks while it is growing and about once a month in winter.
When should I fertilize?
Feed in early spring as it leafs out, again in May, and again in September.
When is the best time to plant it?
Plant bare-root trees in January or early February, and container trees in fall or spring. Avoid planting in summer, when new trees struggle.
Does the trunk need protection from sun?
Yes. Paint the trunk with white tree paint to prevent sunburn in the Valley.
How do I keep birds off the fruit?
Birds find ripe fruit before you do. Cover the tree with bird netting, or slip bags over the fruit before it ripens.
Are nectarine leaves and pits safe for pets?
No. A nectarine is a smooth-skinned peach, and the stems, leaves and seeds contain cyanide compounds that are toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Wilted leaves are the worst. Pick up fallen fruit and pits, and call your vet if a pet chews them.
Desert Delight Nectarine for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Desert Delight Nectarine is a very low-chill, self-fruitful nectarine with large red-skinned, yellow-fleshed fruit early in the season. Below is what to expect, including chill hours, ripening, planting, watering, pruning, thinning, sunburn, birds and borers.
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.
Low-chill nectarine for Phoenix
Desert Delight needs only about 100 to 200 chill hours, and most of the Valley gets about 300 to 400. It is self-fruitful, so one tree sets fruit.
Desert Delight nectarine fruit
The large nectarines have bright red skin and yellow flesh, and they ripen early in the season.
Pruning a nectarine tree in Arizona
Prune in January before the buds break. Nectarines fruit on last year's growth, so prune them harder each winter.
Thinning nectarines
Soon after fruit set, thin the small fruit to about 4 to 8 inches apart so the rest grows larger.
Watering a nectarine tree
Soak the root zone at least 18 inches deep, about every 1 to 2 weeks while growing, and about once a month in winter.
When to plant a nectarine in the Valley
Plant bare-root trees in January or early February and container trees in fall or spring, and avoid planting in summer.
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.