Knowledge from Olle Garden Bed: Peach Leaf Curl Control

What is a peach leaf curl? The following content also has some reference value for raised garden beds.

Peach leaf curl, also known as leaf curl, leaf curl blight or leaf blister, has been considered as a common disease since the early 1800s. It is caused by the fungus Taphrinadeformans and can affect the flowers, fruits, leaves and buds of peaches and nectarines. Peach leaf curl is the most common disease in backyard orchards. Cool (48-68 ° F) wet weather when leaves first open is conducive to disease. Watch our video about peach leaf curling, and Tricia shows how to take care of your trees.

Life cycle of fungi

Symptoms occur when leaves appear and begin to grow. Fungi cause abnormally large cells in the infected part of a leaf, resulting in distorted appearance of the leaf. The fungus eventually produces a germ called asci containing spores. You will see that the leaves have a velvety appearance, which is caused by spores or ascospores. They are released into the air and infect trees or other parts of other trees. In newly infected areas, fungi continue to multiply and "cover" trees and hibernate around bark and buds. The next spring, the fungus is moved by rain or irrigation and infected with new leaves. The cycle continues. Without treatment, the infection can weaken trees and lead to a decline in fruit production.

Treatment of peach leaf curl

Chemical control

Copper

The products available to family orchard owners are those with low metal copper equivalent (MCE) of about 8%, such as Liqui Cep. Use stickers such as garden oil to improve the effect. Follow all product instructions and ensure that appropriate safety equipment is used during use. A good rule of thumb for applying fungicides to runoff points is to apply them three times in the dormant season: after falling leaves (around Thanksgiving Day), in winter (around January 1), and before bud expansion (around February, depending on where you live). If the infection was mild in the previous year, you can reduce the frequency of use.

Lime sulfur

Effective control of peach leaf curl, but not registered for sale in backyard orchards, not sold in many states.

Cultural control

Once the trees are infected, there is not much that can eliminate the disease in that season. But it is very important to keep trees alive throughout the active growing season.

Dilute the fruit to reduce the demand for tree resources. For peaches and nectarines, thin the fruit to a distance of at least 3 inches. Take out sick or cracked fruit and put it in the trash can instead of the compost heap.

Apply nitrogen fertilizer before the middle of June. Balanced fertilizer for fruit trees is a good choice.

Keep watering to reduce water pressure.

Clean the fallen leaves or fruits around the tree roots to reduce the spread to other trees. Do not put these in compost heap, spores can sleep for a period of time.

Another option, especially if you have to remove weakened trees, is to consider adding resistant or partially resistant varieties, such as Frost, IndianFree, Muir, or multi grafted peach trees containing all these varieties. If you don't care about these varieties, please choose trees that bloom late in the season. Because of the late flowering time, you may see less development of these diseases.

Don't let the peach leaves curl up and ruin your favorite peach or nectarine. Spraying a fungicide for peach leaf curling every year can control disease and allow healthy trees and harvest.