FAQ

I have two peach trees. The fruit has black spots and also the leaves fall off prematurely. I have sprayed them with copper fungicide twice a season. Is there anything I can do while they are dormant to prevent this condition?

This may be a fungal infection or possibly two different fungal infections that are not affected by copper treatments. The timing of fungicide treatments is also extremely important. Generally, the first application should be at budbreak for fungal diseases affecting the foliage. Fungal diseases affecting fruit require different timing, but still early is better. During dormancy, the best things to do are cleaning up foliage debris from the ground, fertilizing, and pruning.