I Have Planted Three Grapevines And Can’t Get One To…
David Asked
I have planted three grapevines and can’t get one to live: what am I doing wrong?
The Gardener’s Answer
Hello, David: Grapes have been grown here in Kentucky since before Prohibition, both commercially and in the backyard garden. You want to make sure you are purchasing your plants from a reputable nursery/garden center. Just as important, you want to grow varieties that will do well here in Kentucky.
As with all plant material, if we do not give them ideal conditions to grow in we are making them more susceptible to insect and disease problems. Grapevines should be planted in full sun with good air circulation. This means the vines require a minimum of six hours of sunlight daily. Without any specific details in terms of what is going on with your grapes, I can only speculate. The most common problem found with grapes grown in Kentucky is known as black rot. This is a fungus that will cause infected berries to shrivel up and look more like raisins than grapes. It can be controlled by good sanitation and potentially a spraying program. Black rot will overwinter, so good sanitation practices are very important in keeping insects and disease problems under control. Remove and dispose of all infected grapes still on the vine as well as the ones that have fallen. Keep the area around your vines free of all plant debris. The most important step in eliminating the problem is to have it positively identified. I cannot do that without seeing your vine, so you should take a sample to your County Cooperative Extension Service for the agriculture/horticulture agent(s) to look at. For more information on growing grapes, visit www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/id/id126/id126.htm.
