Problems with grapevines!
by
John Palumbo
+4
I spend a lot of times attending to them. I have never sprayed with any chemicals
in recent years all my effort are wasted since the fruit rots three quarter of the way to growing season! I'm including photos of before and after
Related Discussions
Suggested Project Book
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/cure-black-rot-grapes-39699.html
John your photos did not come through.
definitely interested in helping on this.
Unless you spray grapes you will never get a good crop. I have Concord grapes I make jelly with.
brown rot and powdery mildew ruin the crop. Spray with a broad spectrum fruit spray that contains FUNGICIDE as well as insecticide.
if you don't want to use pesticides, forget the grapes and buy them at the market, those have been sprayed too!
I use Bonide fruit tree spray becuause I also use it on my Apples and peaches as well as the grapes. Read the label and you will find directions for use on grapes.
I find there are not too many insect problems with grapes with the exception of aphids and Various beetles. Japanese beetles love grape leaves. Check to make sure there is a fungicide in whatever spray you use. Pick up a two gallon pump type sprayer if you don't already have one, and maintain a spray program repeatedly, stopping when the directions say to, within X days to harvest.
If you don't keep up with it the brown rot will appear, then spraying will be ineffective, oh, and if you get a soaking rain, you'll have to do it all over again.
Proper pruning is essential for grapes, all new growth from last year needs to be trimmed back to 3 buds. Seems harsh but leaving 6' long canes will eventually give you a tangled mess and diseases will be worse, because the grapes will be too shaded.
If you don't use pesticides you might as well forget backyard fruit growing, and even using them your fruit will never look like the produce in the grocery store.
They use "restricted use pesticides", where they are liscenced to apply stuff we cannot buy.
Don't be afraid to use pesticides just follow the label and be particularly careful when handling the concentrate. Spray in evening or early morning when winds are lightest, and use safety glasses because it may sting your eyes a bit. Trust me you'll be gad you resorted to spraying. Make sure to run clean water through your sprayer after you are done to flush any residue out of the sprayer and
never use the same sprayer for herbicides then use it for grapes. Grapes are extremely susceptible to herbicide damage.