Leaf Curl

Garden Problems

Leaf curl a fungal disease that infects young leaves making them swollen, thickened and distorted.

Identify the problem
Leaf curl is a fungal disease. Infected young leaves become swollen, thickened and distorted. Leaves usually loose colour turning light green or reddish. Heavily infected leaves will fall. Shoots are often stunted and distorted.
Leaf curl is common in cool, wet, spring weather. Particularly common on peaches and nectarines.
Note:
There may be other causes of leaves curling. Check for insects or webbing then try the Kiwicare Garden Problem Solver.
How to solve the problem
- To control leaf curl, spray with PLANThealth Copper Fungicide soon after pruning, just before bud burst happens in Spring.
- Disease is often carried between plants by sap sucking insects. Use Organic Super Spraying Oil to control these insects before they can spread disease.
- When the trees/plants are dormant carry out a Winter Spray Programme.
Did you know?
- Leaf curl is a plant disease caused by a fungus, genus Taphrina, or virus, especially genus Begomovirus of the family Geminiviridae.
- Peach Leaf curl is caused by the fungus Taphrina deformans.