Why Are My Peaches Falling Off the Tree Before They Are Ripe? (And How to Fix It)

It’s so exciting seeing your peach tree blossom and start to bear fruit for the first time– until you begin to see the unripened fruit fall to the ground! 

The first thing that enters your mind is, “Why are my peaches falling off the tree before they are ripe?” 

Don’t worry, you’re not alone in this. In fact, this very same thing happened to me and plenty of others. It’s more common than you may think, and most of the time, completely natural. 

Let’s look at a few things that could cause this to happen, plus some practical ways to nurture your tree with wisdom and patience. 

Common Reasons Peaches Could Be Falling off the Tree Before They Are Ripe: 

# 1) Natural fruit drop. 

Our creator made fruit trees with a natural thinning process. Most peach trees drop some of their young fruit in late spring to early summer. This is so they can focus energy on the strongest fruit. 

What to do? Nothing at all. Unless you’re losing most of your fruit, this is a natural and healthy part of a fruit tree’s life cycle. 

#2) Lack of Pollination. 

Lack of pollination in peach trees can occur due to a number of reasons. One possibility is that the weather was not ideal for the bees and other pollinators during the blossoming period. 

Rain and wind can cause the bees not to leave their hive, which means no pollination of the peach blossoms. 

Although most peach trees are self-pollinating, (meaning they can produce fruit on their own without the need for another peach tree nearby) if you find that your tree isn’t producing a lot of fruit, planting another variety within 100 ft will increase fruit production through cross-pollination. 

Tip: Plant pollinator-friendly herbs and flowers near your peach trees to invite bees and butterflies and increase pollination. They love lavender and borage!

#3) Overbearing. 

Sometimes your peach tree tries to be an overachiever and produces so much fruit that it can’t sustain it all. 

Because of this, it has to naturally drop some of those fruits so it can put that energy into the fruit that’s left. 

What to do? Once you notice that your peach tree has naturally dropped the weaker, smaller fruit from the tree, go through and manually thin out the fruit even more. 

Leaving about 6 inches in between each peach helps the tree focus its energy in the right places and gives you bigger and sweeter fruit! 

#4) Water stress. 

Inconsistent watering can cause your tree to drop its fruits to protect itself. Too much or too little water can cause water stress. 

In Arkansas, we don’t have to worry much about watering our fruit trees until mid-late summer during our summer droughts. 

Depending on where you are, your tree could be getting either too much or too little water. 

Things to consider: Is your soil draining well? Is your tree getting regular moisture during droughts? Figure out the issue so you can try to help it get back on track. 

#5) Nutrient deficiency. 

If your tree is lacking nutrients like potassium or nitrogen, it can cause poor fruit production. This consequently can cause your tree to shed its fruits. 

How to fix: It’s always best to test the soil around your tree to see exactly what it’s missing. Use a soil testing kit like this one. Once you know, you can amend the soil depending on what essential nutrient it needs. 

To avoid this in the future, be sure to fertilize in the early spring using compost, manure tea, or some type of organic fruit tree fertilizer like this one. 

#6) Pest pressure. 

Oh, the dreaded pest! Borers, stink bugs, and aphids– just to name a few– will weaken your peach tree and cause it to drop its fruits. 

What to do? If you notice sticky sap, curled leaves, or dark spots on the fruit, you may be dealing with pests. 

This calls for WAR! You can use natural insecticides like neem oil and DE, or you can utilize beneficial insects to get the job done in a more environmentally friendly way. 

Ladybugs or beneficial nematodes can be purchased on Amazon, which will both assist your tree in different ways. 

#7) Young or stressed tree. 

Newly planted trees or trees recovering from damage (like harsh pruning or transplant shock) may not be strong enough to hold fruit just yet. 

Patience is the key: Focus on building a strong, healthy root system for the first few years! Fruit will come in due time, and it will be well worth the wait. 

There’s a Season for Everything– Even Falling Fruit

Peach trees, just like all of Yah’s creation, teach us about faith and patience. Keep in mind that even when the peaches are falling off the tree before they are ripe, the tree is being strengthened in the process. 

Prune wisely (usually in late winter or early spring, before it begins to bud), water intentionally, and trust the process. You’ll have a tree full of healthy, strong fruits soon enough.