Peach tree/leaf curl -should I persevere ?

[Woofster]

I forgot to spray my peach this winter and it has now succumbed completely to peach leaf curl. I have removed virtually all the leaves. It is in a pot and I am lavishing food and water on it but will it ever recover or should I give up on it ?

[Gwyndy]

Don't know if it's relevant but I have a lot of leaf curl on my pear tree but the fruit seems to be forming OK. Don't know what's causing it but I'm going to leave well alone until it's finished fruiting.

[Alison]

I have a peach tree in a pot which I have never sprayed. Normally I put it in an unheated greenhouse over winter which means that it is sheltered and therefore doesn't run the risk of peach leaf curl, therefore no spraying required. The winter before last it got left outside for some reason and was a nightmare this time last year. I made sure I fed it well and looked after it last year and it's fine again now (brought in last winter) and has a small crop of peaches forming nicely.

[Woofster]

Thanks for your comments. I am just wondering if I remove the few leaves left which are showing signs of disease anyway and spray now with bordeaux mixture. There are no fruits left anyway. Then it might grow back healthy. My problem is that it is a good eight feet tall and I cant get it into my greenhouse and I have not been able to figure out a way to make a shelter for it that wont look v. ugly in my garden.
It was a birthday present from my son and so I want to make an effort to save it although I am not keen on plants that need an extraordinary amount of special care.

[FB.]

Don't know if it's relevant but I have a lot of leaf curl on my pear tree but the fruit seems to be forming OK. Don't know what's causing it but I'm going to leave well alone until it's finished fruiting.

It's unlikely that the leaf-curl from Peaches would be the cause of pear leaves curling. It's more likely to be aphids causing the curling on pear leaves.

[gojiberry]

Peach trees are very prone to leaf curl and even with spraying mine still gets affected. The trees normally grow a new set of leaves later on but obviously having to grow two lots of leaves a year does weaken the tree. I will try putting mine in the greenhouse next year and see if it helps.

Ian

[sarraceniac]

It's unlikely that the leaf-curl from Peaches would be the cause of pear leaves curling. It's more likely to be aphids causing the curling on pear leaves.

Peach leaf curl is caused by a fungus which is controllable by regular spraying with Bordeaux mixture. Pear (and plum which has just developed on one of my trees) leaf curl can have 1 of 2 causes. As FB says, the likely one is aphids but if you are unfortunate (like my poor plum tree) then it may be a virus and there is nothing you can do. You can try heavy pruning this summer and BURNING (not composting) the cuttings. If you have other trees nearby then the safe thing is to cut your losses and also the tree unfortunately. Dig it up and again burn it. Make sure it is the virus though and not just aphids.

I got hit by peach leaf curl (not personally you understand, I am no peach ) this year when I neglected to use Bordeaux mixture in late winter/early spring. Stupid of me and I am now paying the price with no fruit at all this year. I have had to remove most of the leaves and spray now, but too late to save the crop of course.

[FB.]

sarraceniac

Yes, there's a small chance that it's a virus (sometimes transmitted by aphids).
Generally, it seems to be older trees that succumb to viruses. I think it's more a case of the tree being able to tolerate a few viruses, but the older they get, the more viruses they catch and the weaker they become until one virus tips them over the egde. Having said that, pears will often manage 100 years.

But chances are that the problem is aphids, or some other relatively minor problem.

[janeyo]

My tree was overwintered in the greenhouse and came out march time as it was too big for the greenhouse. It's now a 2 yr old tree. It is full of peaches (I have thinned them out). They are the size of dobbers now. But it has had a few blistered red leaves. I have just pulled them off. I didn't realise it meant you didn't get fruit. How come I've got fruit?

And do I make bordeaux mixture or do I get it from garden centre? Thinking ahead for next year as I am guessing I won't be able to fit the tree back in the greenhouse again.

Thanks

[sarraceniac]

My tree was overwintered in the greenhouse and came out march time as it was too big for the greenhouse. It's now a 2 yr old tree. It is full of peaches (I have thinned them out). They are the size of dobbers now. But it has had a few blistered red leaves. I have just pulled them off. I didn't realise it meant you didn't get fruit. How come I've got fruit?

And do I make bordeaux mixture or do I get it from garden centre? Thinking ahead for next year as I am guessing I won't be able to fit the tree back in the greenhouse again.

Thanks

You may still get a few fruit if the leaf curl is not too rampant Janeyo. The curl weakens the tree but doesn't normally kill it. A bad infestation will stop any fruit from forming though.

Bordeaux mixture is made from lime, which is calcium hydroxide (or oxide which becomes hydroxide when the water is added) and copper sulphate but unless you have dozens of trees it is easier to buy it made up. I get mine from a firm in Hull that trades on eBay simply because it is more convenient (and cheaper) than my local GC. If you do want to make your own then there are no set proportions so you can Google for advice.

Remember that it is mildly toxic so don't use it near fish or animals and dispose of sensibly after use.

Hope this helps.

[janeyo]

Many thanks, I think I will buy some for next year.
I have loads of fruit on mine, so prob just lucky!