You should plant the fruit trees on a slightly sloped area. This will allow cold air to drain down to lower levels. Plantings near the top of a slope will suffer less spring frost injury than those at the bottom. Also, plantings that have a northern exposure will suffer less damage than southern or eastern exposed plantings. Peach and nectarine trees need to receive eight hours of direct sunlight.
Less sunlight results in leggy, spindly trees that produce few flowers and fruits.
Watch out for planting trees in the shade of buildings or large trees, peach and nectarine trees need full sunlight. Peach trees do not tolerate poorly drained soils or soils with high water tables. However, they will do well in a wide range of soil types. Proper soil preparation is critical for the success of a planting. Fertilize and lime the soil according to soil test recommendations.