Peach Tree Question

We planted two dwarf Peach trees three years ago. This is the first year that they had blossoms and fruit. They each have 2 & 3 little peaches. Very hard. (Do you pick them when they soften?) One of the trees is under water everytime we have a hard rain. Bad planning! Leaves are not as green and the peaches (3) are smaller and pale. The other tree has darker leaves and 1 of the 2 peaches is dark "Peach" color but rock hard. Both trees have 5 to 15 leaves at a given time that have turned bright orange/yellow like a fall maple tree. Some of these, but not all, have a dark spot or two. They pull off easily. I have no experience with peach trees. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Anything I need to do? The trees themselves look healthy. Thanks.

GreenAtHeart Congratulations on your crop. Next year you will have many more. The peaches will be ready to pick when they are beginning to soften. If you pick before then they won't ripen. You might want to protect them with netting so the birds won't peck them. Also you might want to spray them with something that is for fruit and vegetables to keep the bugs from eating them before you. You really need to find a website about taking care of peach trees since they must be sprayed after petal fall to keep the fruit from being "wormy". My peaches are not as good this year because we had so much rain and not enough sun. But I have managed to freeze a few packages. We have one more tree that will be ready in about a week or two. Jenny

Thanks, Jenny, for the speedy reply and good advice. I don't anticipate the birds bothering my tiny amount as the gooseberries and mullberries are just ripening and they are avian favorites here. I'll continue to (gently) pinch the peaches until I feel one "give". I've been trying to avoid much spraying except in early Spring - but as the trees mature, (apples, pears, plums and peaches) I know that a spraying program is in my future! Louise

Your weather is probably more suited to peaches. If I don't spray the peaches cannot be eaten! We have so many insects here in humid East TX. This year my problem was too much rain (which is rare). It made many of my peaches split open and of course that drew the bees, flies, ants and everything else. Also the wet month of June caused most of the peaches to develop fungus and that is what I have been spraying for lately. My last tree looks like it will have more of a usable crop since it ripens later. Guard your peaches cause there's nothing like a tree ripened peach. Jenny