Lost grape clusters

Discussion in 'Grapes and Grape Vines' started by cubby, Jun 2, 2005.

  1. cubby

    cubby Member

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    Hello and thank you for helping me in advance. I am new to growing grapes, so new that I don't even know what kind of grapes that I have? They are on a very healthy vine that grows around my front porch. They look like concord and taste sweet and are very good to make jam with. But this year I had more clusters of grapes than last year. When they first formed on the vine, the grapes clusters were full and everything looked very healthy. I am on water restrictions and can only water every other day. I have now noticed that all my clusters have little white stems sticking out where the grape was growing. Some of the grapes are still there but out of 20 or 30 in the cluster there are now only 5 or 10 grapes left in the cluster. This happened over night, I don't know what has done this? When I first moved here,this grape vine was neglected badly. It was lying on the ground and never pruned or trellised. But the grapes were plentiful and and the vine was healthy. What have I done wrong. I pruned the vine right back with the help of a grape growing Italian neighbor. He look at my grape vine yesterday and said that he has never seen anything like this before.
    Can any one tell me what has happened and what can I do? The vine is growing great and is very healthy. Cubby.
     
  2. Eric La Fountaine

    Eric La Fountaine Contributor Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Hey Cubby, sounds like some little critter came and ate some of the grapes during the night. Hard to say what it might have been, raccoons, birds, squirrels??

    I have had squirrels eat my green tomatoes during drought. I think they were really after a source of water.
     
  3. Ralph Walton

    Ralph Walton Active Member 10 Years

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    Are you sure the "little white stems" are in fact stems? The grape flower petals are joined together at the tips and fall off leaving the stamens (which can look like little sticks) exposed. This is normal.
    Ralph
     
  4. cubby

    cubby Member

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    Today I have no grapes left on my vine. This was very heart breaking, They all looked like they were all picked off. The flowers had all finished, and the grapes were all formed and I had a big crop. The clusters are still on the vine but not one grape left. I did find some very small white bugs that fly but they are few. I stayed up all night on my porch to see if I could catch what ever the critter would be but I heard nothing and seen nothing. They didn’t fall of or I would see this on the ground. Would it help me if I put some type of netting around my vine next spring? Also when can I take some new growth from this vine and start new vines? And how do I do this?
    Thank you for help in advance. Cubby.
     
  5. Ralph Walton

    Ralph Walton Active Member 10 Years

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    You can start doing green cuttings and layering or air layering as soon as you have enough top growth that you are not taking a significant portion of it by doing so. You can also take dormant cuttings in the fall/winter for spring rooting but the green or layered starts will be almost a full year ahead of these.
    Ralph
     
  6. Ralph Walton

    Ralph Walton Active Member 10 Years

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    Can you get a photo to post? One possibility is nutrient deficiency/toxicity. Have you fertilized the vine (or anything nearby)? I know you said they didn't fall off, but have another look if it's not too late. As the flowers develop, the ones that are not fertilized will drop off (it's called "shatter" and it's normal for a portion of the flowers in a bunch to do this). Excess Nitrogen can push that to the point of complete loss of berries. Some deficiencies and poor pollenation can also push that, but rarely to complete loss.
    Ralph
     
  7. cubby

    cubby Member

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    I have a picture but I don't know how to upload to this form. I am going to try to put it in attachment, I hope that it works. . I have only used Miracle grow- fed once in fall before covering with old blanket for the winter. After this the only nourishment given to the vine is watered down blood. I did this two times, before flowering. My picture was taken before I lost all the forming grapes. Thank you for all your help with my grape problem. I sure need this help, Only since my retirement have I turned my black thumbs to green and it looks like I have lots to learn. Cubby.
     

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  8. Ralph Walton

    Ralph Walton Active Member 10 Years

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    Miracle-Gro is a group of plant food/fertilizers made by the Scott company with analysis ranging from 0.02-0.02-0.02 to 20-20-20, 28-8-16, 36-6-6 etc.
    They also produce some sustained release products.
    Bottom line: this could be your problem, or maybe not.
    I love it when I can be this helpful!
    If your plant is otherwise healthy, enjoy it and don't fertilize it at all from now till next year. Vinyard fertilizing is done carefully, if at all, and frequently after sampling and analyzing the foliage for nutrient levels and deficiencies.
    Ralph
     
  9. cubby

    cubby Member

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    Thank you very much for all your help and what I have learned from this site. I would also like to thank UBC Botanical Gardens for having this place to come too for help. I will not do anything to my grape vine this year. I do believe that you are very right about over feeding my vine. The leaves and vines are growing as I watch. I have run out of room on the tressel that holds them. Again Thank you for helping me, Now I have to find out about the health of my apple tree.
    Thank you
    Cubby...
     

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