Garden Tips for November with Wally - Curly Leaf & Garlic Rust

Do you have curly leaf issues? Sadly our peach tree is not looking great this season. I received an email from Wally Richards regarding this bothersome issue and thought I'd share his wisdom on this subject.

Rather than simply reaching for the usual sprays, Wally shares his own observations and an alternative approach using his Liquid Sunshine recipe.

In this article there's also tips for solving garlic rust and for giving your vegetable plants a boost.

From Wally ... 

Two noticeable problems are happening at this time; one is curly leaf on stone fruit trees. 

I have discovered that grafted stone fruit trees are prone to the disease in the early part of the season and is near impossible to prevent.

I spoke to an elderly gardener some years ago that had a big orchard and asked her the question about what she did to control curly leaf on her stone fruit.

Her reply was; 'I do nothing and my trees do not get curly leaf.'

So I asked how come? Her reply was that all her trees were grown from stones or pips by placing the stone/pip in the place where she wanted a mature tree.

Ok, I know when any plant grows from seed in the area that it germinates and matures you have a far better specimen than any thing that is transplanted, fact of gardening.

Then she told me about one time when at a garden centre she spotted the dwarf nectarine and peach trees that only grow about a metre tall.

Thinking they were cute she purchase one of each and planted them in her orchard.

Then she told me that these two dwarfs give her no end of curly leaf problems every season BUT it does not affect her stone grown trees! So the graft is the weakness that is the problem.

Curly leaf in stone fruit is a disease that you can do everything under the sun and still have curly leaf and some seasons do nothing and little of no curly leaf.

(Which means it is weather, temperature and humidity related)

So I have given up with all the possible controls and now I use the Ambulance at the bottom of the cliff approach.

Understanding the problem, leaves and blossoms come, fruit sets, leaves curl which means they are not generating enough carbohydrates to hold the crop and some or all the fruit fall off.

Then new leaves from that are not affected (conditions have past) the old curly leaves fall off but the crop is either small or none.

Simple answer we need to get as much carbohydrates into the tree to hold the fruit while the new clean foliage is establishing.

Wallys Liquid Sunshine is the answer spray as often as able like every day or two till the new clean leaves can take over and even then a few more sprays to be sure.

You are spraying the curly leaves and the branches and the fruit.

You make the Liquid Sunshine by dissolving a table spoon of molasses into a litre of hot water then add 10 mils of Magic Botanic Liquid and your ready to spray.

(Buy a bucket of molasses from stock and station agents such as Farmlands, PGG Wrightson it cheap when compared to small supermarket amounts)

Garlic rust is happening already, (because of the weather) this disease has attacked some gardeners garlic early this season.

Like curly leaf there is no simple answer but by spraying the foliage every day or so with Wallys Liquid Sunshine you stand a chance of maturing reasonable size bulbs.

You can boost this up by adding one 100 mg uncoated aspirin tablet, dissolve it thoroughly in a small cup of warm water first (to avoid clogs), add it to the one litre of Liquid Sunshine.

I have noted that the initial rust that appeared on my garlic has not so far spread maybe as a result of a daily spray of the above. Time will tell.

Along with several gardeners I have talked to, whom are using Liquid Sunshine on garden plants such as tomatoes, roses etc are noticed a great improvement in the plants treated. 

A spray once or twice a week on plants that you want them to be better is ideal.

Strawberries Spray them every few days with Mycorrcin and watch them preform, this can increase your over crop by 400%.

Get in touch with Wally! He is amazing and will answer all your questions - and his products are fantastic - highly recommend. 

Phone 0800 466464
Garden Pages and News at www.gardenews.co.nz
Shar Pei pages at  www.sharpei.co.nz
Mail Order products at www.0800466464.co.nz