Question
Peach tree disease
Can you tell me what might cause holes in the leaves of my peach trees, besides insects?
AnswerDear Frank, I have looked up all the peach tree diseases and studied your photo, but I am pretty positive that the damage was caused by insects. There are some fungal diseases that attack peach tree leaves, but I am not seeing the brown and/or yellow spotting that I would normally see with fungal damage. True there is a little yellowing, but it is incidental to the insects. Now what could be causing this? There are several possibilities, and I am assuming that you don't notice any bugs in particular. It could be Japanese beetles, tarnished plant bug, or even grasshoppers which will eat practically anything. Now to get rid of them, the most recommended control would be NEEM. It is an organic substance that kills or repels the pests, acts as a feeding retardant to the bugs and it safe as an organic control. It is also a good idea to use when you are not completely sure what you are dealing with, as it will kill insects, mites, and fungus. Spray your trees with the NEEM probably every week or ten days for several weeks and they should improve. This leaf damage probably won't affect your fruit crop very much and it is safe to eat fruit within two days of spraying NEEM. I hope this information helps. Good luck, Melissa
