how to grow a nectarine dream growing a nectarine tree prunus person connector ena requires some care but the effort is worth the reward nectarine trees grow in US Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness zone six through eight and produce their best harvests in full Sun sites with well-drained sandy loam soil their final height is 10 to 30 feet depending on the rootstock and watering feeding and protection from late Frost's are essential to produce healthy fruit careful site selection helps ensure healthy growth and a nectarine tree erased sheltered site is best nectarine trees don't grow well in low-lying areas where water stands and cold frosty air gathers in spring when the trees are blooming frost damages the flower buds and reduces harvests sandy loam - clay loam soils are fine but the trees don't grow well in heavy clay soil 2 to 3 feet deep or deeper with a pH at 6 to 6.5 produces the best results notes the University of Missouri Extension if your soil isn't well drained or deep consider growing a nectarine tree in the raised bed or berm allow sufficient space around the tree to reach its final growing with without regular watering a nectarine tree doesn't produce well I'm mature a nectarine tree needs 1 inch of water every two to three weeks during dry weather apply the water slowly and evenly within the drip line of the tree with a soft spray attachment on a garden hose sprinkler drip irrigation or soaker hoses nectarine trees that experience drought in the last 6 weeks before harvest produce a poor crop of small fruits from mid fall onward the trees rarely new water resume watering when new growth appears in spring water newly planted nectarine trees every week for six weeks applying one inch of water over the root zone a nectarine tree grows best with two annual doses of fertilizer for a tree four to ten years old apply one to two pounds of granular or powder 10-10-10 fertilizer in early spring and late spring sprinkle the fertilizer evenly around the trees drip line and water the fertilizer into the soil feed two to three year old trees with 3/4 pound of 10-10-10 fertilizer and early in late spring and a newly planted nectarine tree with 1/2 pound of 10-10-10 fertilizer seven to ten days and forty days after planting for all ages of tree sprinkle the fertilizer eight to twelve inches away from a trunk nectarine flower buds suffer severe damage from Frost's but you can protect your tree using a range of methods if the tree is small throw burlap or another light loosely woven fabric over the tree in the evening before temperatures drop to freezing and remove the covering when temperatures rise again usually in the following morning in severe Frost's a 150 watt bulb lamp under the covering helps reduce the chill for larger trees water the tree during the day and place jugs of water on the ground beneath the branches water absorbs heat during the day and releases an active night you can also string Christmas lights through your nectarine trees branches to supply extra warmth you