Peach tree dropped leave in June

( photo / image / picture from Green Fingers's Garden )


( photo / image / picture from Green Fingers's Garden )

Hi, This dwarf peach is 2-3 years old and was planted last Fall. It started out good in the Spring with flowers and leaves but then leave started to drop and now have none except for few new growth on the tip of some branches. I sprayed the tree with copper fungicide for peach trees and neem oil this Spring after the sign of red spots on the leaves for the first time. I did not know that we have to follow a spraying routine for the fruit trees as preventive measure until Caroline pointed it out in response to my previous fruit tree question but I will continue from here onward. Now my question is what else can I do to avoid this in the future? will this tree be ok?Thanks.

 

This is not a good sign. I have never seen a fruit tree drop it's leaves after the fruit was set. Has someone sprayed their/the lawn with a broadleaf herbicide (or used "weed and feed" on the grass) in the last week or two? Even drift from a neighboring yard can cause this to happen, if it is a spray issue. I don't know what to tell you, but I don't think it can support the fruit without it's leaves.

 

I do not think so Carolyn. I know soon all fruits will drop too but I am hoping if I can still do something to save the tree. I have other trees in very close proximity of this peach tree and they seem to be doing fine. I tried to search the info on the situation on internet and found nothing. we do have clay soil and it rained a lot this spring could it be too much water accumulation around roots?

 

I suppose that is a possibility. Is this a dwarf or semi dwarf tree? dwarf trees have poor root systems.

 

Was this leaf drop gradual or over a short period of time? I am like Carolyn,, you would first think of something being sprayed. They haven`t sprayed for mosquitos or anything. Are there large farms nearby that may have sprayed. It looks similar to what they spray cotton with. They don`t want leaves, just the cotton. Or in your case,, peaches. Do the fruit look OK ? Normal ?

 

Carolyn, it is a Dwarf tree.I have limited space so, not much choice. My other apple and pear dwarf trees are about 5yrs old and seem to be doing ok in the same location.
Mart, no farm near us and our neighbors do not spray on their lawns. the leaves/fruits dropped gradually over a time of 2 weeks. The remaining fruits are growing slowly. I am noticing some new growth however. The only thing different this year was I sprayed all the fruit trees for the first time with copper fungicide and neem oil because I noticed signs of leaf curl and leaf rust . Other dwarf trees are looking normal.

 

Mmmm,, If it were me, I would just leave it be for now. See if the leaves regrow normally. Could be a short term stress issue, or a reaction to the fungicide. Although I have not heard of this before. Try looking on google for a similar problem others have had. Any of the major universities will have info if its a common problem. Meanwhile, my peach trees have too many leaves,,want some of mine? :-D

 

Brilliant idea Mart! mail the leaves, I'll glue them to my bare tree and pray for no rains until it grows its own new leaves. Or you think I should invest in superglue instead
I did find something similar caused by nematodes or root borers but those trees were not showing new growth. It might be the reaction to the spray as you mentioned. I'll change the fungicide brand and hope it does not happen again.

 

If this spray is something you mix yourself,, try reducing the strength first. Use more water less fungicide. And check the root flare to make sure it isn`t planted too deep. Sometimes that alone can stress a peach tree.
I will look for superglue tomorrow,, and a big box!

 

Greenfingers, did you mix the neem and copper together and spray or were they sprayed separately at different times? I mixed neem to spray and didn't dump out a cup of left over so diluted there were no bubbles in it, dish detg. and two of my tomato varieties turned out all funky. I cannot tell if the mix is what did it, but it is the only thing I sprayed on them while they were in the greenhouse. even now the tomatoes as they develop are not right. The flowers are sticking to the developing fruit and they look strange. good thing I didn't sell them.

 

Mart, you truly want to resore the leaves on my tree.. Thanks Mart and Carolyn for your time and expert analysis. I do recall that my husband sprayed copper and neem mixed together twice in a gap of two weeks and he did not rinse the pump after the first use. The bottle of copper said to repeat every 2 weeks untill the sign of disease stats to disappear. But we did not have to do it for the third time because all the leaves were dropped already. Hope this does not happen next year or I will bug you two with my concerns again!

 

GF, How is your tree?

 

Doesn't look good to me. All the new leaves have fallen off too. We just keep watering it occasionally.

 

Sounds like you need to plan on replacing the tree. Bummer.

 

Yup, we will replace it next Spring.