North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Ward Barnes" <ward_p_barnes@hotmail.com>]

Don Yellman wrote:

Ward:

>I have just about concluded that that useful life of a peach tree in

>the Mid-Atlantic is 20 years, and that beyond 15 years they are

>living on borrowed time. The reason is disease, which usually

>chooses older trees. There are no real cures. What you have sounds

>like a classic case of bacterial canker (Pseudomonas syringae).

>Bacterial leaf spot is another disease that can weaken and

>eventually kill a peach tree, as is gummosis, which is fungal in

>origin. Any one of these diseases, or several others which attack

>older trees, and you have a terminal case. The solution is to plant

>a new tree, since even if the tree hangs on, the quality of the

>peaches declines dramatically. I have taken down seven peach trees

>over the past ten years that were afflicted with one or more of

>these diseases. Every 3 years or so, I plant two new trees in new

>locations to keep the peaches coming. I wish I could give you

>better news.

>

Ward wrote:

Don, Thanks for the reply.  I sent a sample of both root and branch from my 3 year old trees to the University of Virginia, though my local Extension Service Agent, and the trees have been diagnosed with Fungal Gummosis.  About the only treatment seems to be "avoid late pruning" and "avoid water stress".

Do you or anyone have any other advise?  A quick search on the internet did not appear helpful.

Thanks again.

Ward Barnes, Wake, Va

 

 

 

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