Grapes Vines Curling Leaves & Little Black Spots

16 years ago

This is the second year for our grapevines here in central Oklahoma right on the border of zones 6 and 7. Last year we didn't have a single problem, but this year, within the last week, on 3 out of 6 of our vines, we are having leaves that are curling and then on the underside, tiny black spots. On one of those three vines, we also have "burnt" areas on the leaves. The varieties are fairly common, Ruby Red Seedless and Thompson Seedless, two were bought as more mature plants ($45 each) and the other younger ($15.)

We had major drought and high high temperatures (several days well above 110) last summer and their roots have spread wonderfully. This year, thus far, we have had right at 20" of rain in the last 90 days, with a little over half of that hitting within the last 30.....and more to come every day the rest of this week...... It has also remained slighty "cool."

I have only found one other posting similar regarding curling leaves on grape vines and it referred to possibly aphids. The black spots on the leaves are not moving and are not bumpy, more or less ingrained in the leaves. I have searched and searched the vines and find no signs of any insects with the exception of very tiny white flying things. We did apply seven dust last week, which is the only thing we've attempted thus far.

Our gardening experience is the old fashioned, trial by error method, so frankly, we probably don't really know what we are doing!!!!

Thanks is advance for any help!!!!! Photos of the leaves and vines are in the link below:

Here is a link that might be useful: Photos of Grape Vines & Leaves

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Comments (7)

Scott F Smith
16 years ago
The bottom picture I would say is almost certainly black rot. Use Google image search and compare the pictures you find there. Those little black spots are benign in some varieties, my Chambourcin always has them. Or maybe they are small spots of black rot? I don't know about the leaf curling, many things can do that. I would look carefully for signs of bugs or other disease -- leafhoppers and powdery mildew are two potential causes of leaf curl.

What have you been spraying? Those grapes are vinafera types and are not disease-resistant at all. I spray my vinafera every week this time of year. Black rot is one of the worst grape diseases, it will cause all of the fruit to rot. If you don't have a regular spray program you need to do some research and set one up. Or pull those varieties and try some more disease-resistant ones.

Scott
bourbonlady
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you so much, it's tough to search for a cure if you don't even know the problem. Black Rot fits perfect with the symptoms and conditions. Still not sure about the leaf curl and black spots......

We have only sprayed with Seven once thus far, but DH is looking into sraying now with copper fungicide. Any thoughts on that?

Thanks again!
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I can't really see the lesions very well, but I'm guessing its black rot. I also have seen this on some of my grapes, and thought it was anthracnose at first. If the berries turn completely brown, then shrivel up to black mummies, it is likely black rot. Be sure and remove and dispose all the mummies before winter (this may not help much if you have lots of wild grapes around you). There is nothing you can do this year other than remove infected berries, but you will probably need to start spraying them in the future.
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Hi Connie, I don't have aphids, I sure do hate those things. But had a small(amazing right?) white fly problem a few weeks back and those seem to have gone away since I added worm castings to the soil. Also, the white flies were only on the side closest to the "trunk" of the grape vine. Where this is happening is all the way towards the end of the main vine. The main vine it self is about 15' long. I was thinking it was something with soil or maybe something else since this new growth. Thanks!
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This cannot be a new thing. I too have a one year old vine, no fruit, lots of vine and millions of those very, very small flying insects. Shake the plant and these things swam out like some kind of plague -- but try to find them on the underside of the leaves -- they are not impossible to see but if they do not move you can miss them, unless they fly, then they are truly evident. Also, the leaves now have brown blotches all over them and some are skeletal -- not sure these flies or whatever, are the cause but there are so many that they cannot be beneficial. But, no one seems to have and answer, like this is something unusual. Strange, no one seems to have a solid answer?
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I'd love to try and help you while we wait for the Calvery to get here. Did the curling coincide with the leaf splotches? Which way are the leafs curling? Upward curling of leaves in itself is fairly comon and usually disconcerning. Any texture to the splotches? Like mold. I have had brownish purplish spots before that I believe were a result of using liquid kelp and fish emulsion. Some sort of sun burn or reaction. Have you had a problem with insects like aphids,thrips or anything else. If you have any fruit yet do they show any problems? If you don't have fruit you are pushing the envelope before frost in your area. I'll share this much now. There is only so much you can do to stop or slow fungal or bacterial disease. You can spray with a copper based spray or Ortho garden disease control, they should be available to you at home stores or nurseries. Viral infections usually means the plant needs to be removed before infection spreads. Spreading is in most cases done by insects. The key for best success is prevention. Keep your garden free of weeds(great bug hangouts)and remove old plants and discard in the trash can.Add plenty of organic material to your soil. There is good microbes and bacteria in organic matter/compost that will help fight off the bad stuff. Lastly put down a good layer of mulch each year.Watering with a soaker hose is also a god idea if you do water. Good luck, keep your post near the top.
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billv
16 years ago
Sorry to tell you this but I think the key to surviving Black Rot is to spray with an effective fungicide early - shoots 1/2" to 3/4" - and every week to 10 days until withdrawal time hits about 9 weeks before harvest. Of several effective fungicides, the only one I have been able to purchase is Mancozeb (not Pristine, Bayleton, Abound, Sovran, etc.). Captan also is listed as effective by some and more commonly available. Good Luck.
fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
16 years ago
Unfortunately Ruby and Thompson are poorly adapted to humid conditions. They are intended for areas with very dry summers like CA. I'm surprised they look as good as they do. Not sure what to make of the leaf curling. You really would be better served by cultivars bred in Arkansas such as Reliance and Jupiter.

The Fruitnut
Scott F Smith
16 years ago
BourbonLady, some good advice given by Bill & Fruitnut. I use copper myself for black rot - if you are an organic grower like me it is the only option. It is also one of the best available for home growers, it is nearly as good as Mancozeb I would say. I am also experimenting with Yucca extract which has recently been shown to help. I have had almost zero black rot in my vineyard with a regular spray program. You need to hit particularly hard during May-June (now), that is when the diseases really take hold.

Scott
billv
16 years ago
Scott:
I have not tried copper but if you find it nearly as good as Mancozeb, I definitely will. Thanks.
Bill
Scott F Smith
16 years ago
Bill, I always use a sticker with copper and that could be a reason it is so effective for me. Right now I am using both Nufilm-17 and Yucca extract as stickers. Its takes a long, hard rain to wash the copper off when it is put on with a tenacious sticker. I also spray the undersides of the leaves very thoroughly because the rain will not wash that spray off as easily. Also it is my impression that both black rot and downy attack the underside of the leaf first. Those two account for all of my major disease issues here.

The disease pressure this spring has been the least I can remember, thanks to the record dry spell we are having. I read in the paper this morning that May was the fourth-dryest on record.

Scott

Grapes Vines Curling Leaves & Little Black Spots

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Scott F Smith

bourbonlady
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Grapes Vines Curling Leaves & Little Black Spots

Comments (7)

Scott F Smith

bourbonladyOriginal Author

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