PROTECT PEACHES

IF YOU grow peaches or nectarines, you probably know about the disfiguring leaf-curl disease.

On mature trees, leaf- curl reduces yield. But on young ones, it can weaken the plants badly enough to kill them.

Peach leaf-curl spores are carried in rain and need moisture on the leaves to survive. There are no effective cures, so the best way to prevent leaf-curl is to keep those leaves dry for as long as possible. If your peach grows against a wall or fence, it should be possible to construct a frame which enables you to fix a clear plastic cover over the front of the plant. The sides and base of the cover must be open to let bees and other pollinating insects get at the blossoms.

Ideally, it’s best to cover the trees in November or soon after leaf fall. But it’s still worth doing now, before the new leaves appear. You’ll find more information on peach leaf curl on the RHS website, rhs.org.uk.