All About Flowers

1. 4 Responses to “Is there a cure for curly leaves on peach tree planted 1 yr ago?”

2. By Tony C on Nov 18, 2008 | Reply

   I would not use anything but Miracle Grow at this point. It should work.

3. By MorboWillDestroyYou! on Nov 20, 2008 | Reply

   It is called peach leaf curl and it is a virus, which deforms the leaves and causes welts and for the foilage to curl up. It doesnt kill your tree outright but it does weaken it if left untreated. It happens every year following the new leaves. There are fungicides that can control any outbreaks. I have no idea what their trade names are in the US but any nursery can help you out.

4. By Deplorable on Nov 20, 2008 | Reply

   This is a specific condition, and Miracle Gro is not going to help in any way. It is not a matter of fertilization or nutrient deficiency. Some people think that if you just dump the fertilizer to a plant that it will make everything all right.

   This plant probably has what is known, appropriately, as “peach leaf curl”. There are a number of products on the Death To The Earth Poison Aisle at the garden center/hardward store.

   Peach trees are not particularly excited about life. There are a few locations around the country where they will deign to survive and even produce. I have only been acquainted with one man from Georgia, and he refused to put out, so I was not able to glean the Peach Tree Secrets from him once he was lulled by my feminine wiles. C’est la vie.

   I’d tell Dad to stick with the apples. They are so much more versatile, anyway.

5. By hopflower on Nov 22, 2008 | Reply

   To prevent peach leaf curl, treat peach and nectarine trees every year after leaves have fallen (late November). Copper-based fungicides including Bordeaux mixture (a slurry made of hydrated lime and copper sulfate, tribasic copper sulfate, calcium polysulfides, metallic copper, or synthetic fungicides can be used. However, to be effective, copper-containing compounds must have at least 50% copper; those containing less do not adequately control leaf curl despite advertising claims. If timed properly, a single fall/winter spray will normally prevent losses.

   In areas of high spring rainfall or when spring rainfall is abundant, it may be advisable to apply a second copper spray or a lime sulfur treatment in spring, preferably before buds begin to swell, but definitely before budbreak (when green color is first visible).

   Although symptoms of leaf curl are seen primarily in spring as new leaves develop, there is little you can do to control the disease at this time. Some people remove diseased leaves or prune infected shoots, but this has not been shown to improve control. (Pruning in fall, however, can reduce the spore inoculum overwintering on the tree.) Normally, diseased leaves fall off within a few weeks and are replaced by new healthy leaves, unless it is rainy. If leaf curl symptoms occurred on your trees in spring, be sure to treat the following fall, around late November, to prevent more serious losses the next year.

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