Peach tree

[KJessi]

I'd love to grow a peach tree, tried many times, but all die through peach curl.

Any recommendations and advice welcome. Is undercover the only option?

[Plot70]

I have been putting the stones from yellow label fruits into the ground and have a couple of plants 4 feet tall with big buds on them. They are the quickest seed to fruit of all the stone fruits.
They can fruit three years from seed if they are happy and you stand a better chance of getting something that will resist disease.

[KJessi]

I have actually just poked a few fig cuttings and willow into a patch, and i think I'll use that area for germinating stone fruits too. Thanks for the idea x

[Peanut]

I think protecting them from rain is the only way to prevent peach leaf curl, saying that, my little pot grown peach (that was sold as a nectarine) still managed to get leaf curl last year despite being in a greenhouse

[MelanieSW]

In order to get leaf curl under control, I applied a fungicide last year (after dithering for years).
The one I used was "Southern AG Garden Friendly Fungicide" as that is supposed to be pet and insect friendly for organic use.
I sprayed twice last winter/early spring and have to say got hardly any leaf curl last season. Can't say 100% for sure if the fungicide was what did it as it was also a very dry spring which would have helped, but will be using it again this year.

[Snoop Puss]

I should bite the bullet with fungicides. Every year my pear trees suffer. I should give it a go. Thanks, Melanie.

[ChingfordHarry]

My peach trees in pots (grown from stones) developed awful peach leaf curl (essentially they were completely defoliated by the disease); the last couple of winters I've moved them into a polytunnel from November to the beginning of May and they haven't shown a single sign of peach leaf curl since then. I didn't use any fungicide or other treatment.

From what I gather, it's spread by rain splashing spores from the ground, though I suppose spores already present on the plant might germinate in Spring when they get wet.

As an aside, I have four trees - all grown from stones from flat peaches. Two trees give me flat peaches, two give me round peaches; indicates to me that the difference comes down to one or perhaps two genes, but I'm not a geneticist...

[KJessi]

I did use a copper fungicide on my last one, which had been doing so well under the covered patio, but it was too late. That was my fifth peach tree attempt.

Watching some youtube vids, I did get the impression fully undercover was the way to go. I was hoping there were reliable resistant types though.

[ameno]

From what I gather, it's spread by rain splashing spores from the ground, though I suppose spores already present on the plant might germinate in Spring when they get wet.

That's not actually quite true.
The spores are wind spread, as with most fungi. But the surface of the peach tree needs to be wet in order for the spores to germinate and infect it.

[ameno]

I did use a copper fungicide on my last one, which had been doing so well under the covered patio, but it was too late. That was my fifth peach tree attempt.

Watching some youtube vids, I did get the impression fully undercover was the way to go. I was hoping there were reliable resistant types though.

You may have been applying it at the wrong time, or in the wrong way. My nectarine gets leaf curl every year, but since I started spraying it's nowhere near as bad as it used to be.

Fungicide sprays are preventative, not curative. You need to spray the tree in late winter, when it's dormant. Once it starts growing, it's too late. Two sprays, once in early January, and once in early February, is the usual approach.
It's also important to cover every twig and bud with a film of the spray.

[starloc]

Spraying with a spray of dilute oregano oil works well (it has been patented for use on peach trees as fixing infected areas as well as prevention) , and it cures infected growth , but if you want a chemical fungicide that stops the fungi once infected, you can use Skore , not sure if available in the UK , we can just buy it here in Bulgaria , i got lots of leaf curl till i sprayed with oregano oil , but many here use Skore and it works , no leaf curl on any trees i spray with it , same with the neighbours trees who use it (everyone grows peaches here ) , gardens with unsprayed trees have masses of leaf curl , when sprayed with copper/lime they get some leaf curl , oregano none , skore no curl, spray before leaves grow is still best though , and regularly , like every 2 weeks or a month

[KJessi]

Yes, I did use after infection, missed the timing for preventative spraying. Terrible with timings. I was determined to do a winter wash etc on my fruit trees this time, and I still haven't.

I looked up Score. Available in Ireland too, looks like.

I'll definitely try oregano oil. That's more easily available. Do you dilute with water or some kind of carrier oil?

Also, I've never been to Bulgaria but now it's definitely on the list. I want to see the peach trees.

[KJessi]

Btw, does anyone have a recommendation for a fruit tree supplier?

[ChingfordHarry]

Keeper's Nursery (https://www.keepers-nursery.co.uk) was recommended to me by one of the guides at a Brogdale open day. I've used them and the fruit trees certainly seem to be good.

[KJessi]

Really interesting that they do a grafting service x thanks x