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I'll address that problem as it arises.
With leaf curl disease the tree will usually shed the affected leaves and grow some new ones. Of course it's not good for the tree, but I don't worry about it too much. I've heard that a garlic and citrus water spray can help keep it at bay to an extend, I suppose the natural repellents in these plants that are absent from peaches must help. I don't put too much faith into them though.I just fear that your summers are too humid and the sun is not strong enough, which provides a perfect environment for the leaf curl disease.
Regarding sunlight - I've considered this many times, it is an obstacle I face with grapes and figs too and is the reason tomatoes take so long to ripen. The English varieties have been bred mostly in Southern England around London and certainly can grow outside there, but it's the warmest and sunniest part of the country. I'm quite far north, at the start of that dark green band labelled as Liverpool on the map, so the sunlight he can be weak. I did think about using mirrors to reflect light directly at the plants, but I researched it a while ago when researching if I could use mirrors to grow Cordylines indoors and came to understand that they don't reflect the full light spectrum. Some of it is reflected though, so outside they might help a little, but I don't think it's worth it.
I've researched the different ways that plants photosynthesise (C3, C4 and CAM photosynthesis). Grapes are probably C3 - this method of photosynthesis evolved during an era of greater C02 levels than at present and subsequently these plants respond well to increases in CO2. They yield more and can handle slightly lower temperatures. In a greenhouse the level of CO2 could be artificially raised, outside it cannot so that's another reason a greenhouse would be a good investment.
The plants I keep in the house are kept in a bedroom which is not only warm but also probably sees a significant increase in CO2 levels at night when humans are exhaling in there. Plants grow very well in there - it is 24c, south facing and has a lot of sun through most of the day. I believe a part of the reason for the success of plants in there is the increase in C02. C3 photosynthesisers are only 4% efficient - when carbon dioxide is increased slightly above normal they can become upto 7% efficient - it sounds insignificant, but in marginal climates this can make all the difference.
5 meters seems a bit far. I'll see what I can get first.So that´s what I would do: Amsden, 5m away from a southeast facing wall, try the first years without spraying.
Thank you. I hope I get some off it.Good luck with your fig fruits!
BTW, here are those peach seedlings about a week on:
The one on the left is consistently outperforming the other two and the middle one came through latter than the one on the right which isn't doing so well. Strange really, the one on the left was the one that I pulled out and replanted.
They've grown quite a bit since those pictures I posted above. They've slowed a bit now though, they mustn't be drawing as much from the seeds now. The Hyacinths are almost blooming as well, and the paperwhites grew in around a week and a half.
Paperwhite daffodils. They're hardy to Cornwall and SW England, they might have survived the winter here so far, but I wouldn't chance them outside most years. The normal hybrid and wild daffodils I tried indoors haven't bloomed and they've been in since September - I give up and conclude they won't flower indoors.
I've also received 25 strawberry plants through the post of an unknown variety, for free from someone down south. I don't know what they're like yet, I'll have a look at them on Saturday or Sunday.
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