How-to Guide
How to Grow Nectarine Trees
The short answer
A nectarine is botanically a fuzzless peach, and it is grown exactly like one: trained to an open-center (vase-shaped) form, pruned hard every year, and thinned so the remaining fruit sizes up. Most varieties are self-fruitful, so a single tree will bear, per University of Illinois Extension.
The two non-negotiables are pruning and thinning. Nectarines fruit only on wood that grew the previous season, so they need substantial annual pruning to keep producing new fruiting wood — Illinois Extension calls it severe annual pruning, done in late winter while dormant. Then, about four weeks after full bloom, hand-thin the fruit to roughly 6 inches apart on the limb (Clemson Extension) so branches don't break and the crop ripens to full size.
Climate and Siting
Nectarines have the same climate limits as peaches, and in colder regions they are the riskier of the two: Illinois Extension does not recommend nectarines for northern and central Illinois because they are not reliably winter-hardy there. Plant in full sun with good air drainage — avoid frost-pocket low spots where spring cold settles and kills blossoms. At planting, Illinois Extension recommends heading unbranched trees back to about 27 inches to force the low scaffold branches an open-center tree needs.
Pruning: Open Center, Every Year
- 1Prune in late winter, not fall — Clemson Extension warns against pruning from October through January; in cooler areas wait until about mid-February. Late-winter pruning reduces winter injury and bacterial canker risk.
- 2Keep the center open — Maintain a vase shape of 3-4 scaffold limbs with an open middle so light and air reach the fruiting wood.
- 3Renew the fruiting wood — Fruit is borne on last season's growth. Keep pencil-diameter shoots 12 to 18 inches long as fruiting wood; if shoots run past 24 inches, cut back about a third (Clemson).
- 4Remove the junk growth — Take out upright water sprouts, downward-growing wood, and crossing branches that shade the open center.
Thinning the Fruit
A nectarine that sets heavily will break limbs and produce small, poor fruit. Hand-thin about four weeks after full bloom, spacing fruit roughly 6 inches apart along the limb, per Clemson Extension. It feels wasteful and it is the single biggest lever on fruit size and quality.
→ Because nectarines lack peach fuzz, brown rot and insect damage tend to hit the smooth fruit harder than peaches. Good pruning for airflow, thinning, and orchard sanitation (removing mummified fruit) are your first line of defense.
Sources
Reviewed 2026-07-18. We cite university Extension, government, and established horticultural sources — and never invent pesticide rates or dangerous treatments.
- Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC — Pruning Peaches & Nectarines — Open-center training, no pruning October-January (mid-February in cooler areas), fruit borne on previous season's wood, pencil-diameter 12-18 inch fruiting shoots, cutting back a third of shoots over 24 inches, and hand-thinning about four weeks after full bloom to ~6 inches apart
- University of Illinois Extension — Nectarines (Fruit Trees for Home Gardens) — Most varieties self-fruitful, not winter-hardy in northern/central Illinois, heading unbranched trees to 27 inches at planting, severe annual pruning because fruit is borne on one-year-old wood, and open-canopy requirement
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