Peach Tree Leaf Curl

[Stargazer]

Every year I have tried to spray my peach trees against this disease and this year I didn't bother. I seem to remember reading that even when left, peach tree leaf curl does not affect the fruit. Is this true and has anyone experience of leaving the leaves to pucker and bubble and what happened to the peahces please?

[KARL]

I have several young peach and nectarine trees which all have the curl (must have been there at the nursery) but appear to be growing well. This looks to be the first year for fruiting and the early fruit are developing fast. Unfortunately it will be a couple of months before I can give you a full and definitive answer to your question.

[Stargazer]

Karl you will need to thin out the peaches sooner or later. I make the mistake every year of leaving too many on the tree with the result that they do not all grow to the full size.
Also the skin is so delicate and soft that they have to be eaten as soon as they are picked unlike shop ones which have a tougher skin.

[KARL]

I suspect we are talking about quite different varieties grown under very different conditions, but thank you for the advice all the same.

[Frank97]

I didn't fancy the peaches on my diseased tree when they were ripe, they didn't develop any where near as well as they did before it was infected. Of course, not all of it might have been down to leaf curl, I suspect the change of position may not have helped. This year I sprayed the tree, although not enough, so will see what happens in a few months.

[Frank97]

Peregrine is the variety I grow, which seems to have a just right skin, Ideal to pick and delicious to bite into. They don't get that big for me though.

[Chipchopper]

Peach leaf curl is more noticeable in the leaves, leading to distortion and early fall but this can also affect the whole tree, reducing vigor and poor substandard yields.
Bordeaux Mixture seems to be the best way to control it.