Is there a late blooming peach that resists leaf curl?

13 years ago

Mostly I have genetic dwarf peaches. The last couple of years I covered them with plastic for the winter to avoid leaf curl. It works but it's a lot of effort and I have to plan. This year I didn't have a chance, so I suspect it's too late. I don't know if genetic dwarf varieties are more susceptable to leaf curl or are earlier bloomers, but the leaf curl nearly killed Honey Babe and elminated the crop from Sungold 2 years ago.

Then they bloom early sometimes while still covered, then it frosts and kills the crop. I live in Portland Oregon area.

I looked up late bloomers and leaf curl resistant varieties. I could not find any that were listed as both a late bloomer plus leaf curl resistant. Is there such a variety?

I have a Tri-Lite Peach-Plum hybrid. I don't know if it will be leaf curl resistant yet. Last year I had it covered too. It also blooms fairly early but I got a couple dozen peaches last year which was plenty.

It's frustrating to nurture them for so many years then lose a crop because I didnt have a chance to cover them.

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Comments (7)

orto
13 years ago
Hi,

The latest and greatest in Northern Europe is a peach called 'Avalon Pride'. It is suppost to be almost 100% resistent to PLC. The nursery people I have been talking to, tell me that they have not seen any PLC in trees planted in the open. I live in Denmark, so the conditions for PLC are ideal (wet and humid), but I have been told that the variety sets reliable crops (we get frost in April some years), and the trees do not display any symptoms of PLC.

I am going to put in a tree next year.

I also have grown 'Frost' which is susposed to be partially resistant to PLC, I grew it in Victoria BC Canada for 4 years before I move to Europe. I had to spray it with copper while I had it due to PLC, although it is supposed to develope some resistence when it is older.

Cheers
Sam

Here is a link that might be useful: Avalon pride peach
olpea
13 years ago
I'm thinking some of the leaf curl res. varieties were developed in OR (Q-1-8?) so hopefully you be able to find one that works for you.

For this year, you can still spray if you want for leaf curl to save your crop. Most people aren't afraid to spray a little copper in the dormant season, and it does a decent job preventing leaf curl.
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Nope, March is way too late for us to spray for PLC. Fruitnut is closer to the mark. We refer to it as the "holiday" spraying for PLC: Thanksgiving (you'll still have leaves on your trees no doubt), Christmas and Valentine's Day. But this year, it was too late to do a February 14th spray since we had a bit of a warm up and generally mild winter, so I only got two sprayings in this year. But, we've had a much, much drier winter this year than the last 3 years, so I think we'll be okay. I just had one of our local orchard specialists over today, and he was in the same boat as me. So, don't feel so badly :-) Patty S.
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To prevent a peach leaf curl infestation one must start spraying in the late winter/early spring just as the buds begin to swell, and again when the buds are are very plump but the flowers have not opened. I do not know if there is any benefit gained from spraying for this disease in the fall. It is true that just like as you found out and the post above suggested, once the tree has bloomed it does no good to spray for the disease. And if you wait for the tree to leaf out and you wait to see what those leaves will do, you will have wasted the money and effort paid if you determine spraying was needed and try to spray the tree then. That is because by that time, nothing can be done to prevent or stop the disease. I planted an ornamental cherry last spring, at a time which would have been just past the effective spraying time. The tree leafed out and stayed healthy all year. but during a following winter freezing rain storm, just prior to the tree dropping all its leaves, the tree's root ball was partially pulled out of the ground when the tree fell over from the weight of the icing. It took several days before the ice thawed enough for me to replant the tree and stake it. This Spring the tree burst forth with almost a full covering of blooms: very beautiful. After the tree leafed it developed leaf curl in the lowest part of its canopy. I pulled off those leaves and threw them away. Most likely the infestiation happened because of the stress the tree encounter when it was blown over and its canopy was lying on the ground for almost a week. Late next winter or early spring just before the tree blooms, and whenever the tree's bloom buds swell, I plan to follow the spraying schedule I mentioned above. Since my tree is an ornamental peach tree and I do not have to worry about fruit being poisoned, I am also wondering if giving it Bayer systemic treatment now will benefit the tree and keep insects from attacking this tree, which will go through the growing season stressed, due to the leaf curl infestation, especially once the hot'humid or hot/dry period hits in July and August. My tree is an ornamental 'Corinthian Pink' cultivar.
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Yes, that's PLC. A little isn't serious. But an extra spray next spring might help get that sleep your needing. It would help mine:)
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no, very true, MrsG. I have not seen anything like the fervour (and superciliousness) of the no-spray advocates on this forum. I have been growing fruit at my allotment for the last 10 years and have had a harsh education - (gooseberries, long lost to American mildew) Blackcurrants (big Bud and reversion) Raspberries, numerous virus issues and mildew last year too) peaches (well!) cherries (the rampaging birds and the everpresent threat of various cankers, apples (codling moth) pears (midge) plums (leaf curling aphids, strawbs (botrytis and redcore). Had 'em all. So, this would-be organic gardener has had to give in to pragmatism and break out the copper (would have no potatoes or tomatoes, 8 years out of 10 otherwise).....I have not even started on the veggies!!! I guess my point is that it is not worth getting dogmatic and although I don't have to rely on food I grow to survive, I still want to see returns from my efforts. Sometimes though, it just is not possible to have what we want (and I am thinking that growing peaches in the UK is really not worth the bother of covering them with polythene, hand pollinating and continual sprays. Better get going with blueberries then (I will grow them next to the water butts with a seephose).
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eukofios
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you for the advice. I will look into those varieties. I have some copper and will spray when we get a thaw. Thanks again.
tcstoehr
13 years ago
I grow Oregon Curl Free without spraying and it is indeed PLC free. Actually, not 100% but close enough.
oregonwoodsmoke
13 years ago
I've seen a couple of different home growers over there in the valley that have a "carport" built over their peach trees. The top of the "car port" (remada?)is covered in greenhouse panels. Light gets through, rain doesn't.

They must cover the sides during storms so the wind doesn't blow the rain in sideways.

Gotta tell you, it looks odd, with a couple of rows of small roofed structures out in their garden, but if it keeps the trees alive, then, hey... you do what you've got to do.

Another alternative is to move over here to Central Oregon. My only problem with peaches is the flower buds freezing in the spring.
eukofios
Original Author
13 years ago
Well, I sprayed the genetic dwarf peach trees with copper today. I suspect it is a futile effort, being too late, but I had the spray so used it. We'll see.

This is a lesson for me. In my SouthWest Washington climate, I was told I couldn't grow peaches, but with a lot of effort they do grow. The problem is putting forth that effort.

Given that I have 3 genetic dwarf varieties plus a seedling from one of those, and they all get terrible leaf curl, I suspect that all genetic dwarf peaches will all be susceptible. Using a cover does work - during the past 2 years, I tied the branches into bundles, and slipped garbage bags over the bundles. That prevents about 90% of the leaf curl, although not 100%. Haven't tried the carport idea yet.

A peach tree is such an investment in time in the garden, taking years to produce, and garden space, so selecting the right variety is really important.

When I have had a few crops of peaches from these, I liked them a lot. Honey Babe and Garden Gold. Haven't had any from my Ponderosa tree yet.

I appreciate the comments.

I was also thinking about Indian Free. This one is also listed as PLC resistant, and very tasty, but I don't know about the bloom time. Any experience with that one?
olpea
13 years ago
Surely your trees are still dormant in early Jan. If that's the case, you did fine with your leaf curl spray.

Under extreme leaf-curl pressure (that seems to be prevalent in parts of WA and OR) you'll probably benefit w/ another spray just before swollen bud.

Is there a late blooming peach that resists leaf curl?

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orto

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Is there a late blooming peach that resists leaf curl?

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orto

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