If the joy of growing peaches is spoiled, one thing is usually to blame: leaf curl. So here are a few tips for fighting the disease.
One of the most common diseases on peach trees is the so-called curling disease, which is unfortunately very difficult to get under control. After all, it not only spreads on peach trees, but also affects apricot and nectarine trees. The cause of this is a fungus called Taphrina deformans, which is unaffected by a severe winter.
So once you've caught the mushroom, it's a lot of work to get rid of it. It is therefore better to prevent the disease in good time from the outset and to examine the peach, apricot and nectarine trees regularly.
Injury of curlew disease
Infestation with leaf curl usually only becomes visible on the peach trees in April. Once the fungus has established itself, the leaves begin to curl more and more until they finally become crooked and thickened. Over time, this also leads to discoloration, which can be recognized as either white or reddish spots on the leaves and become darker and darker over time. At the beginning of summer, around June, the leaves are so damaged that they fall off the tree completely.
If you notice discolored, crooked leaves on the peach tree in one gardening season, the plant may well recover by next spring. Often, however, the tree then only produces a few buds, so that the yield can be greatly reduced.
Prevention/control of curlew disease
❖ Tip 1 - choose the right location:
As early as planting trees, you can do something to prevent fungal diseases by choosing a sunny, airy location on your property.
❖ Tip 2 - Thin out the crown regularly:
It's also good if you thin out the crown regularly, because the denser it is, the harder it dries off after a downpour. And that in turn can promote the spread of leaf curl.
❖ Tip 3 -Fertilize Peach Trees:
Supply the peach trees with a mineral or organic long-term fertilizer from time to time so that they become nice and resilient. You can also regularly spray the trees with field horsetail tea to strengthen them. Reading tip: Horsetail: Tips for cultivation and use.
❖ Tip 4 - Underplant peach trees:
Planting under the peach trees with nasturtium, horseradish or garlic has also proven effective as a preventive measure.
❖ Tip 5 - use biological tonic:
You can get a grip on frizz with a biological tonic. We recommend, for example, the Neudo-Vital fruit fungus protection from the company Neudorff (available here).
Since the leaves are infected very early in the year (as soon as the buds swell), it is advisable to spray the entire tree crown with such a product at the end of January in dry weather. Before doing so, however, it is important that you remove the stunted shoot tips and all fruit mummies and dispose of them in household waste rather than in the compost. Then spray the tree evenly. Repeat this procedure three to four times at intervals of two to three weeks.
❖ Tip 6 - use chemical pesticides:
There is also a chemical plant protection product that is the only one approved against leaf curl. This is Duaxo Universal fungus-free, which is offered by the company Compo.
Duaxo is a broad spectrum fungicide against a wide range of fungal diseases on roses, ornamental plants and woody plants, fresh herbs, fruit and vegetable crops. It stops the spread of leaf curl and protects against reinfestation. However, you should really only use it if the other combat tips aren't having any effect at all.
❖ Tip 7 - Remove leaves and shoot tips:
If you discover the infestation with the stubborn fungus late, it is important to remove all leaves and shoot tips as soon as possible so that at least no further spread can take place. Cut the shoots back into the he althy wood and destroy the clippings or dispose of them with household waste.