Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Desert Gold Peach
Desert Gold Peach is a low-chill peach bred for warm winters, and one of the earliest to ripen, from about mid-May into early June in the Valley. The yellow clingstone fruit has good flavor and sweetness for such an early peach, and the tree bears heavily. It needs only about 200 to 250 chill hours and is self-fruitful, so one tree sets fruit. Pink blossoms open in late winter.
Best for: an early homegrown peach crop in the Valley, a single self-fruitful tree in a small yard, and late-winter blossoms for bees.
Desert Gold ripens very early, about mid-May into early June in the Valley, before the summer heat can sunburn the fruit. The yellow clingstone peaches are sweet and flavorful for such an early variety.
It is self-fruitful, so a single tree sets fruit without a second peach nearby. It is a heavy bearer, so thin the small fruit to about 4 to 8 inches apart for bigger peaches.
It needs only about 200 to 250 chill hours, and most of the Valley gets about 300 to 400. Pink blossoms open in late winter and feed bees.
The trunk sunburns without white trunk paint. Birds go after ripe fruit, so plan on netting or bags. 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.
Peaches 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 200 to 250 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 Gold ripen?
It ripens very early, about mid-May into early June in the Valley. Pick when the fruit softens slightly and colors up.
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.
Is Desert Gold a clingstone or freestone?
Desert Gold is a clingstone peach, so the yellow flesh holds to the pit. Cut the fruit off the pit with a knife rather than twisting it apart.
How do I get bigger peaches?
Thin the fruit soon after it sets, leaving about 4 to 8 inches between peaches. The tree bears heavily, and the fruit left on grows larger.
When and how should I prune a peach tree?
Prune in January while the tree is dormant. Peaches fruit on the growth made the year before, so prune them harder than other fruit trees to keep new fruiting wood coming.
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.
What is killing the bark at the base of my tree?
It can be peach tree borer. The larvae tunnel under the bark at or below the soil line and can kill a young tree. Check the base of the trunk and treat it early.
Desert Gold Peach for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Desert Gold Peach is a low-chill, self-fruitful peach that ripens early, before summer heat. Below is what to expect, including chill hours, when it ripens, planting, watering, pruning, thinning, feeding, sunburn, birds and borers.
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Best low-chill peach for Phoenix
Desert Gold needs only about 200 to 250 chill hours, and most of the Valley gets about 300 to 400. It is self-fruitful and ripens early, before summer heat.
When does Desert Gold peach ripen in Arizona?
It ripens about mid-May into early June in the Valley, one of the earliest peaches you can grow here.
How to prune a peach tree in Phoenix
Prune in January, before the buds break. Peaches fruit on last year's growth, so cut them back harder each winter than other fruit trees.
Thinning peaches
Soon after fruit set, thin the small peaches to about 4 to 8 inches apart. Heavy-bearing trees like Desert Gold give larger fruit when thinned.
Watering a peach tree in the Valley
Soak the root zone at least 18 inches deep, about every 1 to 2 weeks while the tree is growing, and about once a month in winter.
Protecting peaches from sun and birds
Paint the trunk white to prevent sunburn. Cover the tree with bird netting or bag the fruit before it ripens.
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.