A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Food Garden Forum Fruit Forum peach leaf curl question

Hi,

I have just removed a large peach tree from my yard that had bad leaf curl for years (the tree was dying for various reasons). I am thinking about replacing it with a nectarine tree and recognize that the nectarine tree will likewise be vulnerable to the leaf curl fungus.

I'm wondering if there is anything that I can do to lessen the chance that if I plant a nectarine tree in the same location it will become infected? (If it means anything, the tree was about 10 feet away from wood fences.) For example, would it be advantageous to wait a year before planting the nectarine tree to give the fungus spores time to dissipate (i.e. get washed/blown away/etc.). Or, am I just doomed to suffer from the fungus if I put a fruit tree in the same location that is susceptible to it?

Any information on this issue would be appreciated!

There are helps for the fungus that causes peach leaf curl. Ask your local extension and here is more info on it.
http://www.thegardenhelper.com/peaches.htm
OH and welcome to TGH!

jonni13,

Thanks for the reply. I recognize that there are treatments; I sprayed the peach tree in the past. I am hoping to avoid the fun of spraying the new tree yearly with a fungicide. If I can do something that will help prevent the new tree from getting infected, I'll gladly do it.

Add:
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7426.html

Thank you again, Papito. I am learning but still can't always call up all of the facts I want to find on a moment's notice. And I am not going to type all of the info I have lying around in my books.

Thanks for the info Papito. I am somewhat chagrined that the information to which you've provided a link is on the UC Davis website since UC Davis is about 30 miles away.

I will also follow up with a nursery to see if they can tell me whether waiting a period time after taking out the infected tree before planting a new tree will reduce my risk. Given that I'm dealing with spores, it seems possible.

Thanks to the both of you for your helpful responses.