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blueboy

By Blueboy

France Fr

I have three young peach trees

I have some 2 and 3 year old peach trees that developed leaf curl in the 1st year. it was as bad as it gets but a dosing with bordeaux mixture seemed to help a lot . I sprayed again in late autumn plus again as soon as buds appeared and once again when the trees developed leaves ,but it seems leaf curl is back. I dont want to destroy the trees so what else can I do ??
e hughes

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Blueboy, I've found that fixed copper preparations,such as copper soap, or copper ammonium complex, are more effective than Bordeaux mix. Lime sulfur is also effective as a dormant spray. Nothing seems to work well once the disease is well established in the growing season. For this summer, I would recommend just keeping the trees from stress: Water deeply and regularly, but not too often; feed regularly with a high nitrogen fertilizer, and avoid (if possible) getting water on the leaves. This autumn, after leaf drop, do a thorough cleanup of old leaves and fruit under the trees, and remove any leaves left on the twigs. Gently "power wash" the tree with a strong spray of water to reduce the spore load in the bark crevices and beside the buds. Then spray with lime sulfur, preferably mixed with a surfactant, such as yucca extract, to get it into said crevices. Keep an eye on the twigs, and in early, early spring, as soon as the bud scales start showing their green bases, spray with fixed copper. If that doesn't work, you may have to spray everything--the trees, the ground, the neighboring trees, etc.--after the fall cleanup, with chlorothalonil. That is something I prefer to reserve for a last resort! Bon chance!

21 Apr, 2010

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