Hardy Tropicals UK

Hi everyone,

I bought this dwarf peach tree in the spring as it was perfect in colour and shape for the pot I wanted to fill. It appeared healthy and blossomed well.

The last few weeks however it has really started struggling and I am really keen to know why. The leaves are developing green blister-like spots. They eventually go really mushy and eventually die. It appears to be spreading throughout the tree, having started quite near the bottom leaves. Any thoughts?

Peach leaf curl, very common and made worse in wet conditions. Spray with a relevant fungicide several times a year !

Brilliant, thanks - how easy is it to find a 'relevant fungicide' ... and are they fairly effective?

Well, many moons ago copper fungicides were used but nowadays there are many better ones - it will say on the pack if it controls peach leaf curl. The problem is once the leaf is infected it more than likely will fall off, but the good news is it should grow a second set which won't be affected anyway !! It's important to spray in the autumn before leaf fall and then in February before the new leaves appear. Dispose of any fallen leaves and feed the tree regularly to keep it's strength up

You guys diagnosed this dwarf peach tree (Crimson Bonfire) last year with peach leaf curl and I eagerly await late January so I can hopefully stop the fungus in its tracks. During the summer it seemed to regrow some leaves, but this winter it has only lost around 50%.

They always say that losing leaves in winter is a sign of life, so is it bad news that my peach tree has not dropped its leaves?

I'll try to get a photo at some point.

Pick off every leaf that looks at all distorted / diseased, and bin or burn them. Spray the first dose of fungicide as soon as the buds show the first signs of expanding in the spring, then again 2 weeks later.

....... but is the fact that it hasn't dropped all its leaves during Autumn not necessarily a bad sign in itself?

If its in a sheltered position, its probably still growing. As soon as the elements really get to it, then it'll shut down for the winter. A relative has a ballerina growing near a wall and thats still leaved up

Thanks guys

I have had that problem, it came back the next year so I removed every leaf of the tree and floor and burnt them,it was ok the next year

Did anyone notice if the Queen's Peach had the same problem?

Conifers wrote:Did anyone notice if the Queen's Peach had the same problem?

Couldn't find the 'groan' smiley

An old wives' tale that does work......hang a net bag full of empty, clean, crushed eggshells in a peach or nectarine tree. Just as effective as most currently available fungicides as long as no affected old leaves are left nearby to re-infect it.

Ok, so I sprayed twice as directed in late winter and I've hung the eggshells in the tree (!!!) Early signs is that it's back again in the new unfurling leaves - is that it then? Another summer of a doomed, ugly and useless peach tree?

My peach tree has leaf curl, which I haven't been able to eradicate. However it doesn't stop it fruiting so don't worry.