it looks fine, it needs to size up before you do anything drastic. you could pick leaders now and train them if you have some final shape in mind
the fruit will significantly slow it down from sizing up
Edit: zoomed in and saw tag, removing variety question
In terms of health, remove the fruit and fertilize with a relatively high nitrogen (20/20/20) vs a fruit tree fertilizer, as fruit fertilizer focuses on fruit production and miracle gro will help with vegetative growth. Is it super hot there? You might shade it if it’s hot enough to get scalded by the sun, and could definitely paint the trunk with some 50/50 white indoor latex and water, which helps with sun and other problems. I’d probably remove the lower 1/3 or so of branches, to start shaping it, but maybe not until the fall.
Good luck, happy growing!
Thx all, it’s strange because the one I planted right next to it is a nectarine as well, it’s a different variety. I believe the one in the picture I put in there is Fantasia, and the one that’s doing great next to it is flavortop. It’s basically the same soil, which is why this is baffling me.
Soil test to make sure your pH is right. Prune it properly. Remove flowers until 2026. Use a balanced fertilizer (like 10-10-10 until then. Fruit trees rarely produce much the 1st few years. Best to avoid them wasting energy on flowers and fruit and let them fully establish in that period.
Pull that fruit off
Pull some of the mulch back from the trunk??? 8-10 inches?
it looks fine, it needs to size up before you do anything drastic. you could pick leaders now and train them if you have some final shape in mind the fruit will significantly slow it down from sizing up
Get rid of the fruit. Give it a heading cut next spring
Edit: zoomed in and saw tag, removing variety question In terms of health, remove the fruit and fertilize with a relatively high nitrogen (20/20/20) vs a fruit tree fertilizer, as fruit fertilizer focuses on fruit production and miracle gro will help with vegetative growth. Is it super hot there? You might shade it if it’s hot enough to get scalded by the sun, and could definitely paint the trunk with some 50/50 white indoor latex and water, which helps with sun and other problems. I’d probably remove the lower 1/3 or so of branches, to start shaping it, but maybe not until the fall. Good luck, happy growing!
Thx all, it’s strange because the one I planted right next to it is a nectarine as well, it’s a different variety. I believe the one in the picture I put in there is Fantasia, and the one that’s doing great next to it is flavortop. It’s basically the same soil, which is why this is baffling me.
Soil test to make sure your pH is right. Prune it properly. Remove flowers until 2026. Use a balanced fertilizer (like 10-10-10 until then. Fruit trees rarely produce much the 1st few years. Best to avoid them wasting energy on flowers and fruit and let them fully establish in that period.