Don’s Expert Answers: bad case of ‘curly leaf”

Question From: 
Bianca in  Neerim S.,  Warragul VIC

 

Nature of problem: 
bad case of ‘curly leaf”

 

Type of Plant (if known): 
Nectarine and Peach

 

Symptoms of Plant Illness (please try NOT to diagnose your problems yourself): 
Leaves are very curly

 

Soil Type (e.g. sandy, clay or loam) OR Potting Mix Type: 
Top soil on a farm that had no chemicals for years, not even cows!

 

How often do you water the plant:
Maybe not enough… every 3-5 weeks

 

How many hours of sunlight does the plant get each day:
all day

 

What type of plant is it:
Five trees of nectarines and five trees of Peaches

 

How long since you planted it:
3 1/2 years ago

 

Have you fertilised? If so, with what and when:
Last feed was Dynamic lifter and plenty of mulch

 

Is the plant indoors or outdoors: 
outdoors

 

Is the plant in a pot or in the ground: 
ground

 

What other treatments have you given the plant: 
every year twice or 3 twice I have sprayed with the recommended Copper mix, even tried Lugol’s iodine, no luck!

Upload photo if available: 
curly leaf.jpeg

Other Comments: 
Since the trees are young still, does it matter if i sprayed them when they are flowering? if yes, why does it matter?
If I spray when buds are showing, why is so important to do it then, rather than later when flowering?
Is the fruit going to be contaminated with the spray regardless?
Will those trees always have this fungus for the rest of their life?
How can I make sure to buy a tree that is fungus free?
How do I grow a nectarine tree or any stone fruit tree from its own pip when its pip is so hard?

Many thanks for your time and awesome advice.
Cheers, Bianca

 

Answer: Hi Bianca,  This is peach leaf curl – a fungal disease. It is rather too late, but you could spray with a copper fungicide: normally you spray at leaf drop in Autumn and again at bud swell in early spring. This disease does little harm other than making the plant look ugly.  Don