Selwyn Times: September 12, 2017

34 Tuesday September 12 2017
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Gardening
SELWYN TIMES
How to control leaf curl in peach trees
• By Sarah Frater
LEAF CURL (Taphrina
deformans) is a common fungal
disease that effects peach,
nectarine, peachcott, and
peacherine trees.
It causes the leaves (and some
times the fruit) of the infected
tree to become puckered, curled
and much thicker than normal. If
left untreated the problem will get
worse year-after-year and reduce
the tree’s ability to produce lots of
fruit.
Over winter the fungal spores
take up residence in different
parts of the tree, but mainly in the
buds. When the cool wet weather
of spring and summer arrives
many leaf curl spores are produced
and are then splashed or
blown from tree to tree. Because
this is also the time the trees are
breaking bud and forming new
leaves, the new growth is easily
reinfected with leaf curl.
Controlling leaf curl isn’t easy
but good orchard hygiene habits,
which should be repeated each
year, will give you the best chance.
First of all, plant your trees
where they will get adequate air
movement – this will help minimise
fungal problems.
In spring apply a light dressing
of a quick acting fertiliser such as
sulphate of ammonia to encourage
new leaf growth. At the same
time, I also recommend applying
a seaweed fertiliser to help the
plants’ immunity to leaf curl.
If you do get leaf curl, during
spring is when you will notice it
in your trees. Once you notice
the symptoms of leaf curl in your
NATURE’S BOUNTY: If left untreated leaf curl will get worse year-after-year and reduce a tree’s
ability to produce fruit.
leaves it is too late to control the
disease in those leaves but there is
lots you can to do try and stop the
fungus from spreading.
The first step is to remove and
destroy as many infected leaves as
practical. But don’t compost these
as it will spread the infection.
In autumn and early winter
clean up around the base of any
peach and nectarine trees and
removing as many leaves as possible.
Because these types of trees are
susceptible to leaf curl, I suggest
doing this regardless of whether
they’ve shown any signs of
disease. And, again remember –
don’t compost the leaves.
Next, you should spray your
deciduous trees (the trees that
lose their leaves every year) with
lime sulphur.
The lime sulphur acts by
burning off the over wintering
fungi and pests, including mites.
It’s very important you do this
for gooseberry bushes because
they are prone to catching mites
which can eat out the flower buds,
meaning your bush ends up with
no fruit. Luckily, the lime sulphur
will get rid of those mites.
But I don’t recommend applying
it to your apricot trees
because they can be sensitive to
lime, so it’s best just to avoid it.
Around now, in late winter/
spring (and don’t worry if you
haven’t done any of the other
steps yet – just start now), apply
a copper-based fungicide to all
your deciduous fruit trees – not
just peach trees. A copper-based
fungicide will help stop leaf curl
on peach and nectarine trees but
it will also treat fungal problems
on other fruit trees – like black
spot on apple trees.
I also recommend mixing
in the copper fungicide with a
spreader/sticker, which you can
get from your local garden centre.
It works a bit like soap.
Combined with the fungicide,
it will make the whole area you
spray wet and then when it dries
it sticks to the area so you get
good coverage that sticks or stays
on the tree for a long time.
The copper fungicide (and
spreader/sticker) should be applied
while the leaf and flower
buds are still closed – right before
the buds burst. Spray thoroughly
as you need to create a surface
barrier.
Then follow this up with
another spray 10-14 days later –
particularly if you’ve had lots of
wet weather. This will ensure the
trees get the coverage they need.
Once you have flower buds
showing it’s really important not
to spray copper, as it’s very toxic
to bees when it’s wet – though
fine once it’s dried. And it’s also
past the point of the copper being
effective as the idea of the copper
is to add a protectant layer over
the buds, before they burst.
And that’s it for the year. Now,
you just have to go back to the
beginning of the process and
repeat all of the steps – except for
applying copper fungicide.
Because copper is a heavy metal
it can build up in the soil. It’s also
very toxic to bees when wet so
should only be used when necessary.
If in the past year your trees
showed no signs of disease just skip
the copper step the following year.
But, if they are newly-planted
trees; or were effected by fungus
or disease; or you had a wet
winter; or you didn’t spray with
lime sulphur, then you should still
apply copper fungicide.
gardening without guesswork
Question:
Answer:
What should I be doing to my lawn at this time of the year?
(So that it’s stays healthy and green throughout Spring and Summer)
After the wet winter that we have had, lawns
are looking rather sad. Yellow foliage, lots of
moss, and the ground has compacted with
the wet. Once the grass has started to grow and the first cut has been made,
you can start the renovation of the lawn.
First, it is important that the grass is not cut too low
and that the clippings are removed. To improve the
aeration of the ground it can be cored using a coring
tool and the resulting holes filled with lawn mix, sand
or potting mix. If extra seed is required to cover bare
patches, you can add that in as well. A garden fork
worked back and forward will do the job for areas
not too compacted. Moss may be treated with iron
sulphate or any of the liquid moss control products
but it is important to follow the instructions on the
label accurately. After the 2nd or 3rd cut, you can
now apply lawn fertiliser. Intelligro have a great
lawn fertiliser that will help to promote dense leaf
growth – reducing space for weeds, it helps to
develop the grass at the roots, and also has iron
sulphate added to help control moss. Separate
weed control may be done once the temperatures
warm up later in September.
for more information, check out our website: www.intelligro.co.nz
or visit our facebook page: www.facebook.com/igro.co.nz
Thanks to anthony for her question.
WIN!
a $50
INTEllIgrO gIfT
VOuchEr!
don’t forget to water
Send us your
question and
BE IN
TO WIN!
Email to: info@igro.co.nz or post
your question on our Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/igro.co.nz
New questions to be received
by Tuesday 19th September.
As we draw closer and closer to the warmer, drier weather
we need to remember to establish a regular watering
pattern. This extends to all areas of the garden, not just the
lawn. Make a plan to give your lawn and plants a good
soak of water every few days. This is far more effective than
a light sprinkle each day.
QualITy prOducTs frOm ThE WEB TO ThE shEd!