Knowledgebase

Peach tree not leafing out #871208

Asked June 02, 2024, 8:59 PM EDT

Peach tree in yard in Colorado Springs hasn’t leafed out this spring Not sure of tree’s age, but appears to be established and has leafed out each of the 3 years I have lived at the property Watered tree periodically over the winter and early spring Appears to have healthy buds Tree located in the middle of lawn I negligently applied “weed n feed” on lawn around tree four weeks ago

El Paso County Colorado

Expert Response

Hi Charly, 

Thanks for reaching out to Ask Extension and sorry to hear you're having issues with your peach tree. I have a few additional questions to help determine what is going on with your tree. 

  • Did your tree leaf normally last year? Did you also get flowers and fruits?
  • Can you provide any additional information about the chemical makeup of the weed n feed you applied to the grass around your tree? Have you used this product in the past around your tree?
  • Do you see anything out of the ordinary on your tree's trunk or branches? (damage, growths, discoloring, sap, etc.)

Thanks, 

Katie G., Colorado Master Gardener

An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 04, 2024, 9:55 PM EDT
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, I had to track down the weee n feed I applied.

- I have lived at this property for three years. The peach tree hasn’t ever produced substantial fruit, but has leafed out each year. Last year it leafed out and produced minimal fruit. I expect that the prior owners neglected to care for it. 

- attached is a photo of the chemical breakdown for the product I applied.  I have not applied this product, or any other fertilizer or weed killer previously. 

- I see nothing out of the ordinary with the trunk or branches. Some of the branches are dry, others maintain some flexibility.

Given the arid nature of my climate, I do not suspect root rot, but I am not certain.

Thank you for your time 

On Tue, Jun 4, 2024 at 7:55 PM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
The Question Asker Replied June 14, 2024, 11:01 AM EDT

If your peach tree still shows no sign of life by now, it may be a good idea to check to see if it is still alive. You can cut a medium sized branch or two and see if there is any green in them. If not, find a small inconspicuous area on the trunk and scrape off a piece of bark. If there is no green there either, it may be dead. Unfortunately, my peach tree did the same thing this year so I know it's no fun. 

If you find that you still have green under the bark, please reply back and we'll do some more diagnostics.   

Brody K

Colorado Master Gardener Apprentice

An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 14, 2024, 2:09 PM EDT

Alright, thanks for your help!

On Fri, Jun 14, 2024 at 12:09 PM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
The Question Asker Replied June 14, 2024, 3:17 PM EDT

Loading ...