[digby]

Hello,

I'm not sure whether any of you will be able to help as most of the advice on here seems to be veggie related, but my wonderful husband has bought me a nectarine tree(bush) for our wedding anniversary.  It has generally very healthy looking leaves but a few were suffering from peach root curl.  I have removed all of the infected leaves, and have been looking online for cures, it seems that between blossoming and fruiting any chemical cure is out.

Now the RHS advice site says that at Wisley they cover them with a rain sheet until mid may - my question is, what is the difference between covering with a permenant rain sheet and simply leaving them in an unheated greenhouse? especially as it is in a pot.

Any suggestions or other possible solutions  -  I'm really excited about getting nectarines.

Thank you

D xx

[Aunt Sally]

I think you mean "Peach Leaf Curl"  digby !

The GW site says to "Cover fence or wall-trained trees with polythene sheet in January and February to prevent development of fungus."

http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/problem-solving/peach-leaf-curl/

... and this site says for the variety Nectarine Nectarella  "When grown in a pot which can be moved into the greenhouse in winter to avoid peach leaf curl."

http://www.readsnursery.co.uk/acatalog/Peaches-and-Nectarines.html

So it seems that if you can move it into the greenhouse over winter it could do the trick.

[Trillium]

Peach leaf curl is a fungus that blows in on the wind and rain, hence the need for a protective 'roof' during the worst weather as Aunty has pointed out. There is no cure other than temporary shelter. After you pick off the curled leaves, more will grow but it takes a lot out of the tree so be sure to feed it well with organic feeds. I found that the soft fruit trees love fish emulsion the best. At my last home I had a peach tree inground that suffered the curl problem. At my current home, I have 3 peach trees and so far there's no curl problem, but they still get their fish emulsion and I get loads of tasty peaches.

[Aunt Sally]

That sounds wonderful trillium 

I've never even considered growing peaches or nectarines - but maybe one day 

[digby]

Excellent - thank you so much, I will get some feed, and it will overwinter in the greenhouse so fingers crossed for loads of lovely nectarines.

I didn't have to remove too many leaves so hopefully if it's well fed will get some fruit this year.

[Trillium]

Aunty, don't know if you saw my peach tree in fruit pic that I posted on the last server we had. Haven't re-posted on this new system.

Despite my very cold winters, I planted my trees in the most sheltered and sunniest spot I have, which is why I have only 3 (no more space  ). The line of mature acer trees at the windward side of my property are a great buffering effect to create the microclimate the trees need. Had I put them in an open type field, they'd all be dead now.

[celjaci]

I used to look after an historic garden which still had a peach house in use with 4 varieties of peach. Under glass there was no Peach Leaf Curl but it was difficult to avoid red spider in summer so I think moving between cold glass and outside would be a great solution.
Incidently, under glass they tend to flower too early for the bees to polinate so we had to do the job with a rabbit tail on a cane!  managed to get a really good set and was a nice job on a cold day

[digby]

I thought you might like an update.

I religiously removed all of the infected leaves as they showed up, and I have fed it twice with fish and bone meal - it's also had a weekly liquid feed at the same time as the tomatoes, I also put it in the greenhouse for a while but it was quite late about april.

Most of the developing fruit dropped off, with the exception of 4 that grew into good sized fruit.  1 of those went mouldy while we were on holiday, not sure why, but the other 3 were incredible, a taste of sunshine   I have bought some of the recommended stuff and will spray it when the leaves drop in the autumn and again in feb before it buds, it will also overwinter in the greenhouse and probably not come out until May.

So fingers crossed - next year no leaf curl, thank you all for your great advise.

Incidently I mentioned this to a friend of mine who works at the garden centre and they had sent alot of theirs back to the supplier, so it may have been a bad year for it.