Peaches and nectarines are actually the same species (Prunus persica), but peaches are fuzzy and nectarines are smooth-skinned. They share the same diseases and pests as cherries, but are worth growing for the juicy flavor and aroma that comes only from freshly picked, sun-ripened fruit. They are self-pollinating, so you need only one tree.

Peaches, nectarines, apricots, and plums are called stone fruits after the seed pit in their centers. These fruits fall into one of two camps, called freestone and clingstone, depending on whether or not the flesh separates easily from the seed. In general, freestone fruit has softer, melting flesh and is best for fresh eating, while clingstone fruit has firmer flesh that holds up well in baking and canning. Generally, fruits ripen from mid-July through August, depending on the climate and variety.

Geography and climate influence peach growing rather significantly. Diseases and pests that are prevalent in some parts of the United States cause little concern in other areas. Plum curculio, bacterial leaf spot, and fungus diseases, for example, present problems for peaches in the eastern part of the United States from a line that runs approximately from Fort Worth, Texas, to Fargo, North Dakota. Gardeners west of that line have an easier time growing peaches organically, except in the Pacific Northwest where the damp climate encourages diseases. If you’re in the eastern United States, vigilant housekeeping, pruning, and choosing a site that encourages air circulation, as well as using natural pesticides, can help you grow this problem-prone crop.

Peaches and nectarines grow reliably only in climates with mild winters and fairly dry summers, preferably Zones 6 to 9, (Find Your Zone) although some varieties produce fruit in warmer parts of Zones 4 and 5. The hardiness of their overwintering flower buds is the limiting factor in cold-winter climates — several consecutive nights of –13°F will kill them. Mild weather in winter or early spring followed by a return to freezing weather also spells disaster for their blooms. Plant breeders have developed varieties, such as ‘Reliance’ and ‘Veteran’, that withstand temperatures as low as –25°F, but they’re usually less flavorful than peaches grown in warmer climates. If you want to try growing peaches in Zones 4 or 5, choose varieties with high-chill requirements because they bloom later in the season.

Gardeners in Zones 9 and 10 can successfully grow peaches if they choose varieties with low chill requirements. Some varieties developed for Florida, for example, need only 150 to 400 hours below 45°F to bear fruit.

Peaches and nectarines bloom on wood that grew in the previous year, so prune them in June after flowering. Maintain an open-centered form and encourage lots of new growth each year. Maintain a vigilant pest- and disease-control program, too, because peach and nectarine trees are among the most susceptible to attack of all fruit trees. Peach leaf curl — a serious fungus disease — causes leaves and fruit to drop prematurely. Look for varieties that resist canker, brown rot, bacterial leaf spot, and pit splitting. Catalog or plant-tag descriptions will usually tell you whether a variety is resistant to particular diseases.

Peach varieties that resist bacterial leaf spot include ‘Harrow Diamond’, ‘Harrow Beauty’, ‘Delta’, ‘Southern Pearl’, ‘Desert Gold’, ‘Candor’, ‘Sweethaven’, ‘Redhaven’, ‘Reliance’, ‘Harbrite’, ‘Harken’, and ‘Veteran’. Nectarine varieties include ‘Sunraycer’, ‘Fantasia’, ‘RosePrincess’, ‘Mericrest’, ‘Hardired’, and ‘Harko’.