Grapes are a real gift of nature, a storehouse of vitamins and minerals that are so important for the human body. Many amateur gardeners are engaged in growing this he alth berry, although it is not so simple. It is necessary to take into account many factors and features that favor the normal growth of grapes, and very carefully monitor the appearance of various diseases, which, unfortunately, it can be affected.
Experienced gardeners know that if the leaves of the grapes began to become stained, this is the first sign of a plant disease. A disease that is not stopped in time can lead to the fact that not only the diseased bush, but also neighboring plants will suffer.
Causes of grape diseases
Understanding why the grape leaves dry or other changes in its appearance have appeared, one has to tend to the fact that the plant is sick.
There may be various reasons for this:
- growing grapes in relatively cold northern regions already poses a risk of disease;
- vines under winter shelter are also inrisk zone, since there is stagnation of air, high humidity occurs, which is a favorable environment for the reproduction of various pathogens;
- wrong soil composition, lack of moisture, heat and light contributes to the occurrence of non-infectious diseases, when not only the grape leaves dry or turn brown, but the comb dries out, and the berries fall off (besides, the plant becomes very weak and becomes more susceptible to infectious diseases);
- Various bacteria, fungi and viruses are carried by the wind from diseased plants, and are sometimes so difficult to deal with that only by replacing the affected bushes with more resistant grape varieties can you get rid of this problem.
But, nevertheless, there are many ways to deal with grape diseases, you just need to correctly determine the type of disease and know how to get rid of each of them.
Downy mildew
This dangerous disease, also called mildew, is usually caused by a fungus that can affect not only grape leaves, but also the ovary and young shoots. The fact that the plant was struck by a fungus is easily determined by the appearance of the leaves. They are covered with light spots of a yellowish hue from above, and a powdery white coating forms from below. The fungus forms new spores so quickly that they are carried by the wind and immediately infect neighboring bushes.
The leaves on the cuttings of grapes turn yellow and crumble, then the spots spread alongshoots, as a result of which the inflorescences die off, and the berries begin to turn black, wrinkle and fall off.
A good way to prevent this disease is to plant dill around vines. Also, spraying with a Bordeaux mixture (1% solution) gives an excellent effect during the period when the buds open and before flowering begins. If the plant is still sick with mildew, then, again, when the first signs appear, it is sprayed with a Bordeaux mixture or Ridomil-gold preparation. You should know that spraying is stopped a month before harvest.
If this disease is quite common in your area, then when planting grapes, you should initially choose varieties that are resistant to mildew, and there are many of them.
Powdery mildew
This disease - oidium, after the name of the fungus that causes it, usually affects the above-ground part of the grapes during a dry, hot period. The first sign is that spots appear on the grape leaves of a characteristic ashy color, or the same plaque forms over the entire surface of the leaf. Then the leaves dry up and crumble, and the berries begin to crack.
If you do not get rid of this fungus, then it can safely overwinter on fallen leaves and buds, and again annoy the plant in the spring.
Such preventive measures help well, which consist in providing enough air for vine bushes, namely: pruning thick shoots, planting bushes at a sufficient distance, regular weeding.
As for methodseliminate the disease that has arisen, then the use of chemicals, especially colloidal sulfur, is effective here.
Grey Rot
This defeat of grapes also applies to fungal diseases. Favorable conditions for its occurrence are a warm, humid environment. It usually covers the aerial part of the vine. First, vine leaves are affected, on which a fluffy gray coating appears. At the slightest movement of the leaves, it crumbles, and the disease quickly spreads throughout the plant. Ripening or already ripe berries are especially affected. They turn brown and quickly begin to rot, making them completely unusable.
Effective ways to deal with gray mold are very simple. It is enough to remove all the affected parts from the bush, and then burn them. After that, the grape bush is sprayed with a solution of baking soda, which is diluted at the rate of half a teaspoon per 1 liter of water, or a green soap solution is used.
Cercospora
If you notice that the leaves of the grapes dry, which are covered with a touch of olive color from below, and then fall off, you can be sure that it is affected by such a fungal disease as cercosporosis. Then this plaque covers the stalks with a velvety layer, after which the berries become hard, with a characteristic lilac tint. When lightly touched, they fall to the ground.
The following activities help to rid the plant of this fungus:
- removal of infected parts of grapes and their subsequent burning;
- processingBordeaux mixture at least 2-3 times;
- careful care that creates optimal growing conditions for the vine.
Rubella
This disease has been known since time immemorial, when the vine was first cultivated. It can be non-infectious and occurs most often in extreme heat, which is typical for mid-summer. Red vine leaves are a characteristic sign that the plant is deficient in potassium. If measures are not taken in time, the grapes may die, and the timely use of fertilizers, which include 1% potassium nitrate, will help to successfully cope with this problem.
General preventive measures
There are practically no grape varieties that would not be susceptible to this or that disease. But if you remove dying leaves in time, mulch the soil, water in a timely manner, tie up the vine, remove stepchildren and feed with nutrient mixtures, then many diseases can be avoided by getting an excellent grape harvest.
By adopting the recommendations proposed in the article, you can grow beautiful grapes that will delight with their fruits for many years.
