Dwarf Nectarine in Trouble

[DeborahJane]

I obviously should have sprayed this poor little nectarine but now don't know whether I should pull off all those curly leaves which is every single one and will leave it with a trunk only. I don't know whether that's worse than all those curly yucky leaves. I do feel very neglectful to have overlooked it. I'm a bit on the short side myself so you'd think I'd be more aware of the little things. Does any one have any clues on how to rescue it please?

 

[Chuck]

View attachment 9262 I obviously should have sprayed this poor little nectarine but now don't know whether I should pull off all those curly leaves which is every single one and will leave it with a trunk only. I don't know whether that's worse than all those curly yucky leaves. I do feel very neglectful to have overlooked it. I'm a bit on the short side myself so you'd think I'd be more aware of the little things. Does any one have any clues on how to rescue it please?View attachment 9262

When did these symptoms first appear, how long has the plant been in its container and has there been any dramatic weather changes? I wouldn't do anything to the leaves....yet.

 

[Corzhens]

Oh, what a sad state of condition for your nectarine. I don't know what to say to that poor tree. Maybe you can trim the bad leaves or prune some branches. We sometimes do that to our mango tree, pruning some branches so buds will come out and replace the pruned branch with new good branches. Same with the leaves, trimming the leaves would produce new good ones.

 

[gata montes]

Looks very much to me - like your tree is suffering from the common disease that can afflict stone fruit trees - known as “ peach leaf curl “.

Unfortunately however - if leaf curl symptoms start to show up in early spring when the tree starts to produce new leaves - as yours has done - there is little that can be done to control the disease at this point - as the only way to control and prevent the disease - is to treat the tree during the dormant period with a fungicidal spray - such as the copper sulfate based - Bordeaux Mixture.

Fortunately though - the good news is - that as the diseased leaves generally fall off and are more often than not replaced with more healthy looking leaves - even though the tree is still diseased - it shouldn't look too unsightly throughout the growing season.

 

[DeborahJane]

Thanks Chuck, Cortez and Gata montes. I put the plant in the pot as soon as I got it about 6 months ago and the leaves seemed to be damaged as soon as they grew so I too am sure it's curly leaf. I wasn't sure as to whether I should pull off the leaves but I will do as advised and let them fall off naturally and make sure I spray it next season. Does look pretty awful and is a feature as you

drive in. Maybe I could find something to put around it to dress it up....maybe

 

[Chuck]

Thanks Chuck, Cortez and Gata montes. I put the plant in the pot as soon as I got it about 6 months ago and the leaves seemed to be damaged as soon as they grew so I too am sure it's curly leaf. I wasn't sure as to whether I should pull off the leaves but I will do as advised and let them fall off naturally and make sure I spray it next season. Does look pretty awful and is a feature as youView attachment 9271drive in. Maybe I could find something to put around it to dress it up....maybe

Curly leaf is a fungus similar to blight. By mulching the plant and all of the other plants in close proximity you can reduced the effects. It is a soil born fungus spread by the wind and rain. By doing this and applying a copper based fungicide you should be able to contain it. Keep a close look at the forks of the limbs where they attach to the tree trunk. Because the tree is in a weakened state canker may appear. This happened to me on one of the varieties of my peach trees and it proved fatal because I didn't keep paying attentention.

 

[DeborahJane]

Thanks Chuck. Will look for the copper based fungicide asap.

 

[gata montes]

Thanks Chuck. Will look for the copper based fungicide asap.

If you do get some soon - just remember not to apply it until the your tree is dormant.

As mentioned previously – no treatment is effective once the symptoms have appeared - needs to be done when the tree is dormant and has no leaves in order to be effective.

 

[DeborahJane]

Ok Chuck thanks.

 

[gata montes]

Ok Chuck thanks.

Glad its not just me that gets

and experiences those moments when not all four cylinders are fully operational and functioning as they should do

 

[DeborahJane]

Oh dear. He does look so confused doesn't he gata montes?