( FG4 is a biodynamic product aimed at limiting the environment that allows for fungal problems to arise )
We have a small home orchard with 4 10 year old peach trees and some smaller 3 year old trees
Each year we have had severe curly leaf and upon ripening the fruit have always got brown rot, so that we may have gotten a dozen edible fruit off each tree.
We had more or less given up on the orchard. One tree had silver leaf badly enough that we had it scheduled for removal.
In august 2023 , before budburst, Glen sprayed the trees with his FG4. A month later when the trees were bud bursting he sprayed again. When the leaves came there was no curly leaf on any of the trees. A few weeks later there was a small outbreak, especially on the tree with silverleaf, the others stayed 98% clean. With a 3rdspray at this time the infection stopped.
At harvest time the trees where laden with fruit, in spite of our thinning efforts.
The silverleaf tree ripened first, and no brown rot was present. The fruit shriveled before any rotting was evident. We were swamped with fruit. Interestingly any silverleaf that has appeared early on has dropped off, so you would not know the tree has silverleaf at this end of the season.
The other trees are all ripening with good loads of fruit and brown rot is not a problem either on the tree or after picking.
If you would like to talk to us about our results please phone on NZ 021416971
Pete McLennan and Carina Chambers Maraetotora Hawkes Bay NZ. 7 March 2024
