What does peach leaf curl look like? If my trees have it how do I take care of it?
Leaf curl is a fungal disease that deforms leaves as they open, so that they look contorted, knotted up. This can severely restrict the fruit production.
The fungus lives during winter on and under the scales of the leaf buds and grows as the leaves open. Fungicides to manage peach leaf curl must be timed to get on the buds before they begin to open. When leaves are dormant, give the fruit garden trees some attention. Check your peach trees. If the peach has been suffering in earlier years it needs treatment right now. Fungicides suggested by Washington State University for peach leaf curl include lime sulfur and fixed copper, such as Microcop (with a spreader-sticker like Sta-Stuk-M). Apply the selected fungicide three times, applications three weeks apart. Read the label. If treatment is started too late, after the buds expand, it’s ineffective.
If fruit trees have summer insect infestations such as scale (which causes bumps on the branches and twigs), or aphids (sucking insects that attack leaves), consider using a dormant spray. The word “dormant” refers to the tree’s situation, when it’s not actively producing blooms and leaves, usually in the spring before the leaves emerge.
