Problem with grapevine

[SirRuler]

Hi this is my first post here so i hope i am in the right part of the forum.
My father has a grapevine which he has had for many years but over the last 2 - 3 years something odd has appeared all over the leaves.
i have brought a leaf home with me but not yet had time to install my camera but will do it this week sometime.
to look at the leaves they appear bubbled upwards ontop and looks rather like a toads back, the bubbled are quite large some are about 5 - 8mm in diameter and maybe about 30 per leaf. underneath the leaf inside the bubbled areas there i a thick white kind of mould or fungus growing but the overall leaf size and shape appears perfect. these bumps do not appear until the leaf is almost adult size from what i am told. i cant find anywhere who can help us with this problem and was hoping some professionals here maybe able to help.
i hope to add some photo's here a bit later so you may see the problem as i see it. any help would be much appreciated.

thank you

[Nicos]

Hi there- and welcome to the Vine!

I've moved your thread to the fruit section so more fruity peeps will see it

[Nicos]

Blister mite???

Résultats Google Recherche d'images correspondant à http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9f6p5qcrmew/SUilVL-L4QI/AAAAAAAAAUA/R_gJemaia-0/s400/blistermite2.JPG

[Nicos]

[SirRuler]

wow that looks the same as what i have here and thank you so much for your reply im very greatful, also thank you for moving my post to the right section. i will have a good read and see what i can do to help solve this problem.

[SirRuler]

after looking it is definatly a blister mite issue but it doesnt offer any remidies, are there any ways to help clear up this mite problem? thanks

[Nicos]

Well- we're all here to help!!

Let us know how you get on...tis all a learning process isn't it!

Do introduce yourself on another thread...I've got my first Vine planted out this year- so I'm keen to know who to ask for advice!!!

[SueA]

If it is leaf blister mite then it shouldn't really cause too much of a problem, it's mainly 'cosmetic' in that it makes the leaves look a mess but doesn't kill the plant. Your father could just remove & destroy the affected leaves if there's not too many of them to stop the problem spreading & next year if he's really bothered about it he could try spraying the leaves with an organic or other insecticide when the leaves are still young & the mites are just appearing but he'd have to do the undersides of the leaves too & it might be a bit of a long job. Other than that I'd just make sure he gets rid of all the old leaves when they fall also.

[SirRuler]

thanks for the tips they are most welcome. i find little information on the web about these pests or how to cure it but im glad i now know what the problem is, its a huge start. ive seen his grapevine and i can tell you its totally covered. the crops are much lower than in previous years, infact i would say the yeald is about 20% of what it used to be maybe a lot less. 2 days ago he paniced and chopped all about 80% of all the leaves because his grapes wouldnt turn red and thought it might help, personally i thought it was a mistake as leaves are energy collectors and without energy the plant cant produce the energy needed to grow the fruits. just a little argument we had at the time lol thanks again for all the help you all been great

[OllieMartin]

thanks for the tips they are most welcome. i find little information on the web about these pests or how to cure it but im glad i now know what the problem is, its a huge start. ive seen his grapevine and i can tell you its totally covered. the crops are much lower than in previous years, infact i would say the yeald is about 20% of what it used to be maybe a lot less. 2 days ago he paniced and chopped all about 80% of all the leaves because his grapes wouldnt turn red and thought it might help, personally i thought it was a mistake as leaves are energy collectors and without energy the plant cant produce the energy needed to grow the fruits. just a little argument we had at the time lol thanks again for all the help you all been great

You might be right, but if they ripen anything like tomatoes I'd have thought you could ripen them off the plant. It may slow the ripening down, but if the plant doesn't die it's still better than picking them.

(This advice comes from a guy who's never grown grapes )