Nectarine Tree - Peach Leaf Curl?

[bjblackmore]

Hi,

I have a new-ish Nectarine tree, planted last autumn. It all seemed to be growing OK until spring time, when some of the leaves started to curl. It's gotten progressivly worse. Looking around, it appears to be Peach Leaf Curl, I've attached a pic below, is this definitely what it is? What's the best cure, I was looking at Bordeaux Mixture does this work? Is now the best time to apply it? Reading around it's suggested to remove the infected leaves, but there are so many, I fear it may kill the tree!

Thanks

Ben

[Scarlet]

I'm giving this a bump, as I can't rely answer your question on experience.

Definitely looks like peach leaf curl.
I've never had peach leaf curl, my tree is kept in a pot indoors. The rain causes it, if you can keep the rain off during spring they aren't affected. Mine is kept in the greenhouse during winter, mine is small and kept in a pot.
If you can take the leaves off you will have a better chance of getting rid of it for next year. If it was me I would take all the affected ones off now. Although perhaps someone with a little more knowledge will pop along with some better advice.
Bordeaux mix is I think, the only think that will control it in the future.

[Biffo17]

i tried everything with my tree , every year was the same with leaf curl had to remove all leaves , it was approx 6 years old grew to 9 foot . last year all was fine loads of growth /leaves then a massive leaf curl problem. removes all infected but no new growth . hasnt recovered this spring
dead........ dry as a bone has been dug up now

[Nicos]

Mine gets it every year since it was planted outdoors.
Although we try to be as organic as possible we do end up using Bordeaux mixture.
You need to start spraying before it flowers and continue throughout the year at intervals.
And yes...the leaves need removing and disposing of as they are infected and will reinfect the tree.
New growth of leaves will appear and look healthy if you keep on top of it.

To be honest we may also dig up our tree eventually cos it's more hassle than it's worth...with very little reward.
If you can create a canopy over it to keep the rain water off the tree, you may well get better results ( we can't)
I'm hoping someone will post with alternative advice for us both!

[Martin H]

I tried a nectarine against the fence in my first garden. The first year after planting it got leaf curl really badly. The second year I tried keeping the rain off with polythene, it looked really ugly and it was suffering from lack of watering so in early summer I took it off. The plant started to re-grow but immediately got the leaf curl again and never really recovered. I dug it up and threw it away.

I'm sure if you're more dedicated than me you'll be able to get a decent crop off a healthy tree. But I just wasn't prepared for all the faff.

Sorry not to be more encouraging.

[scarey55]

I am having the same trouble. I spray with Bordeaux mix too but I think that, in itself, harms the tree - I sprayed earlier this year and, although I don't have peach leaf curl, I don't have any peaches either Possibly due to the frost we had but ...
Mine is in a place where I can cover it during rain so I might give that a go next year.

[bjblackmore]

Thanks for all the replies, doesn't sound too encouragng though..

I've sprayed with a Bordeaux mix, so we'll see if that helps. I haven't removed the infected leaves yet, but will do tonight.

I guess it's mainly down to the very wet weather we had in the spring, and I wasn't aware I'd need to pre-treat with the Bordeaux mix in early spring! It's not in an area where it can be easily covered, it's at the end of the garden, away from the edge, along with an apple, pear & 2 cherry trees, unless I build a removable frame,with polythene cover than can be placed over it, then removed.

I might persevere for a little while longer, see if the tree recovered, spray again in the autumn, and next spring, and see how it goes. But if nothing improves next summer, it might have to be replaced with some other fruit tree!

[starloc]

I have some inside in UK and they are fine but the others outside in both Bulgaria and the UK are ofen bad with leaf curl, most of the time, we still get many peaches and as long as we spray the peaches look and taste fine

The problem is people who dont spray, there trees infect yours

Spray before the leaves come off in autumn is very important, when I do there is no leaf curl next year, miss this spray out an always there is leaf curl,spray again as the buds are there but before they start to swell in late winter and then every now and then even if no symptoms

Once its there I take the leaves off and spray and keep repeating , I use both Bordeaux mix and the copper oxychlorohydrate fungicide sold by garden centers

after spraying and removing a few times the symptoms tend to stop with only a leaf here and there affected during the year
I have stripped trees bare of leaves and they are fine in a few days, fruits I always leave on unless they look affected ,

Remember to spray before and after you take the leaves off and not to touch the leaves or dust/spores on good leaves or your fingers.... spray afterwaards to be sure

Check what you are spraying on though, europe banned stronger copper sprays so now they are very dilute and dont work....lime sulfur was better but for some reaason also banned , but only is made from lime and sulfur......

[Martin H]

europe banned stronger copper sprays so now they are very dilute and dont work....lime sulfur was better but for some reaason also banned , but only is made from lime and sulfur......

I guess the big guns in the peach and nectarine growing business have got our EU legislators in their pockets and are trying to stop us amateurs denting their profits by growing our own fruit?

[AllInContainers]

aaaaaand .... my peach tree has leaf curl I cannot freely express my thoughts on this matter, as they are a very long way from being forum friendly .....