Sunday, June 3, 2012

Black Rot


This is our wonderful bounty of Missouri Grapes.  We were hopeful.
We were hopeful that this year, with some prevention, we might actually get to harvest these beauties.
There is little hope left now.

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Look at the spots forming on the grapes. 
This is the start of Black Rot, something that is common in Missouri.
Our Univ of Mo Extension office gave us some information on the problem which lies in the soil.  We find only two of the three chemicals that are readily available in the retail market.  Mostly, it's large quantities for farmers or orchards.



Little by little it takes over the grapes.  You can see why it is called black rot.
If we can't get this under control we'll rip them all out.  Maybe try a more resistant variety although we have several planted here.

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7 comments:

Angie @ Knick of Time said...

Awww...how disappointing! We planted grapes several years ago that were just starting to really produce well, but we sold our house and bought a place just over the river in IL. I didn't see any of that disease on ours yet, but I wonder if they will develop some too.

Sorry all your work and anticipation isn't going to yield a bounty for you!

Blessings,
Angie @ Knick of Time

Kathy Felsted Usher said...

Good luck on yours! If you start seeing anything like that at all, get help fast! I believe there are some varieties that are less susceptible, although not immune.

LindaG said...

Really sorry to hear that, Kathy. :o(
No chance you can cut off the infected grapes and save the rest?
Maybe mulch heavy under the grapes?

Hope it doesn't affect them all. Good luck!

Kathy Felsted Usher said...

We have to cut off anything that is affected and burn it. The black rot seeps down into the soil from the newly infected grapes and before you know it one has ended up falling to the ground. The disease overwinters in any debris beneath the plants sending out spores the next season. Those spores infect the new growth so we need to keep the area below very clean. The variety, Norton, is a Missouri grape that performs better, although not immune, so we may have to switch our out.

Candy C. said...

How disappointing! It's always such a bummer when things go wrong trying to grow produce... :(

Farmgirl Heidi said...

Kathy,
I am so sorry to hear about the black rot. We're a dry climate and (crossing my fingers) don't see too much of it. I hope you find a cure and don't have to rip out the vines.

Kristi said...

Oh, yikes--how disappointing!