Copper Fungicide on Peach Trees

[SwampCat]

Did some major damage to all my peach trees spraying copper. Plenty of recommendations to use copper as a fungicide. Also, a lot of precautions about water pH, humidity, temp, etc. Well, it must have been the wrong time




Bad enough when the coons and possums get all the fruit. Even worse when you damage or kill your own trees. I have a buddy who is seeing it also. He has sprayed copper for several years

Anyone else seen this? Trees shedding leaves and fruit like crazy. Will they recover? Or did I kill ten peach trees? Didnt affect the apples and pears

 

[homerj]

What was your goal with the copper on peaches? Preventing leaf curl? Copper is touchy. Too much, wrong form of copper, wrong water ph, wrong timing, wrong ambient temps during/after application can all cause issues. Captan may be a better choice depending on what you're trying to address.

 

[Barndog56]

I bought some copper fungicide too because everyone seems to swear by it for peach trees. I've never had brown rot though. After reading the label I've never attempted to actually use it. Isn't worth the gamble when all I get is a few spots on the skin of the peaches. They still taste unbelievable!

How has the weather been? My peach trees are the first to react to dry conditions, they'll drop leaves in a heartbeat. Even well established trees.

 

[SwampCat]

Weather has been wet. My intended use of copper was for a general fungicide to possibly combat a variety of issues from peach leaf curl to brown rot. Peaches will not make it down here in the hot humid south without a regular spray schedule. I use to use the general bonide fruit tree spray and it worked well - but then they changed to chemicals and not so great

 

[Barndog56]

Check this out.

What Do I Spray On Peach Trees? – The Orchard Stephenville

theorchardstephenville.com

 

[SwampCat]

Disease and Insect Control for Homegrown Peaches and Plums | Mississippi State University Extension Service

It takes a committed gardener to consistently produce high-quality peaches or plums. These fruit crops are especially demanding when it comes to pest management because peaches and plums are attacked by many insects and diseases that must be controlled to have a successful crop. This publication...

extension.msstate.edu

This is what I have decided to go with. I have talked to several peach growers around here and they claim the captan/malathion is better suited for fhe home orchardist and the captan/imidan more for the commercial orchardist. We are in a period of 12 days rain out of 14 days. While I expect a 100% loss of fruit at this point - I still may spray because I dont want the fruit to become infected with brown rot in its weakened state and present a control problem next year. I am just hoping some of the trees pull through at this point

Interestingly, I talked to another home orchardist I know - who has relied on copper spray for a number of years with no problem. He had the same thing happen to his trees at the same time as mine. Even worse, he also sprayed his son’s trees and the same thing happened to them. It was something environmentally present that contributed to this problem. If my trees do survive - it wont happen again because I will not be guilty of spraying copper in the future.