Peach Tree Pollination

 Look at my peach tree! Beautiful peach blossom is usually one of the first fruit trees to come into flower.  This espalier pruned tree is up against a sheltered South facing wall. 

 As they flower so early in the season, pollination by bees and other insects might be problematic, and hand pollination with a soft paintbrush is usually advised, but I noticed something wonderful this week.

 I planted the peach next to two, large rosemary bushes either side of it which also appear to be in flower right now, at the same time as the peach blossom. 

So the mass of flowers on the rosemary bushes here is encouraging bees to come over to pollinate, and they are also flying on to my peach tree to pollinate that too!   I am waiting a few more weeks before pruning the peach tree.  Peaches are one fruit tree that you do NOT prune in Winter with other fruit trees.  They must be pruned in early Summer when all danger of viruses like Silver Leaf disease or peach leaf curl are over.  These viruses are active over Winter and I must wait until the weather warms up a bit before pruning this espalier.