Peach tree leaf curl is one of the most widespread diseases which does not affect all fruit trees but affects nearly all peach and nectarine cultivars.
This fungal disease affects all aspects of these fruit trees. This applies to everything from flowers and fruit to leaves and flower buds.
This serious fungicide disease has also been found in some apricot almond trees and apricot trees, but mostly it will hit all peach and nectarine cultivars.
While peach leaf curl should be taken seriously, there are different ways to protect your trees from fungal disease.
Hopefully, after reading this article, you have learned how to manage and control this fungal disease.
Fruit tree curl symptoms
Signs of peach leaf curl usually appear within two weeks following leaf emergence.
The symptoms of peach tree leaf curl include discoloration and leaf curling.
The color of the leaves when the symptoms have hit the tree will be yellow, purple, red, or orange.
It’s common and often seen that there may be deformed reddish-colored warts on the diseased leaves. Sometimes the leaves can turn gray and completely powdery.
Fruits that may become infected or wart-like growths on the leaf curl, will have an easier time dropping the fruit too early.
New twigs and shoots from the tree can also be affected by peach leaf curl. New twig tissue will be raised and new shoots will thicken and then become stunted and subsequently die.
Fungicides for fruit tree leaf curl
To control peach leaf curl the only way to prevent this disease from the trees is by using fungicides.
You might be thinking – What exactly are the most effective fungicides for controlling peach leaf curl?
Fixed copper products is the safest and most effective fungicides available for home gardeners, who want to protect their peach trees against the disease.
If you want to use copper fungicide, which can be bought in most garden stores then be sure that the fixed copper fungicide contains at least 50 percent copper to see the best results.
These products may be listed as metallic copper equivalent (MCE) in your local garden store on the product labels.
However, the higher the MCE wrote on the product label, the more effective will the fungicide be. Other, less effective fungicides such as lime sulfur and copper sulfate can also be used, but will often not be as effective.
When you use fungicides to treat peach leaf curl on fruit trees, use them during the dormant season to get the best results and to get rid of the disease.
The best time to use fungicides against the disease is in the fall typically in mid or late November when all the leaves have fallen from the tree.
This can vary from season to season as it gets warmer in the weather, so you can also expect the period to move.
How do you get rid of leaf curls naturally?
It is possible to use a completely organic and natural solution by using a concentrated garlic extract such as Garlic Barrier 2002 AG+.
The garlic extract will be able to do the trick and it’s all natural and suitable for organic farms.
By pouring the extract into a spray bottle you will be able to treat the peach leaf curl during the season.
You will also be able to heal your trees during the season in a natural way and without these other strong chemicals.
The leaves will heal and knock back the leaf curl by using the garlic extract.
They may be at little bit mangled due to the infection, but the leaves will still be able to photosynthesize which is their purpose in life.
Why do my fruit trees have curly leaves?
It’s often seen under normal circumstances that both over and under-watering can be the cause of peach leaf curl.
If you stress your fruit trees in terms of underwatering you will often end up with curled leaves. Expect the leaves to curl in a longitudinal and curl in on themselves.
However, over-watering can also cause the problem of peach curl leaf. The more common symptom is for leaves to be brown or crunchy.
Peach leaf curl is easily treatable if you are able to tackle the problem as soon as you see any symptoms in your fruit trees.
Sometimes excess water can be a reason for overwatering as well but can be more difficult to solve.
A great start is to try to figure out where all the excess water is coming from. The excess water may come from a drainpipe or from a natural drainage. Try to find out where it really comes from.
Curly leaves on fruit trees can be caused by a lot of different things and issues. The great thing is that it is possible to find the right cure when you’ve figured out the culprits behind it.
Final thoughts
Peach tree leaf curl is a common fungal disease primarily affecting peach and nectarine cultivars but can also impact apricot and almond trees.
Symptoms include leaf discoloration, curling, and warts, as well as fruit drop and twig damage.
Controlling it involves using fungicides, with fixed copper products being the most effective, and organic solutions like garlic extract can also work.
Over and under-watering can contribute to leaf curl, making proper watering essential for preventing this issue in fruit trees.
We very much hope that you were able to use this article and got something useful out of it!