Spraying vines

[Linden]

I have 100 vines planted, just making flowers, in thier 3rd year. I bought 2 types of fungicide in italy last year but anyone know when to start spraying, cheers

[nickdub]

Bit more info please on the sprays you have, and what problems you are hoping to deal with.

[Snoop Puss]

Check the labels. Use Google Translate if they're in Italian. Bear in mind that conditions may be different in Italy to your location (you don't say where you are based). So dates may not tally. For example, if yours are already producing bunches of flower buds, you're well ahead of us here, as we're only up to tiny leaf bud stage.

Plus, here in my part of Spain, people only start spraying when/if it's required. They don't do it on particular dates, willy-nilly.

I presume if you have that many vines, you're looking to make wine. So, the other thing you could do is ask locally what winemakers in your area do.

[Linden]

I have Bacchus, dorfelder & rondo. I am in NW Kent , I bought them when in Italy last year as the Bacchus and dornfelder are susceptible to powdery mildew & I of the fungicides are for Downey mildew which I don’t think these grapes are prone to. I have a large dornfelder vine at home which I have never sprayed, and most years I get powdery mildew. I will check which type of fungicides they are when I get home. Thanks

[nickdub]

No problem at all - I reckon knowing its powdery mildew that's the main concern, once you have the name of the active chemical in the sprays you have, you'll probably be able to answer your own question by googling it :-).

BTW the few grapes I have are inside, so perhaps that's the reason I don't see much in the way of fungus problems on them - someone will be along who knows more than I do I'm sure to shed a little more light on the matter.

[Linden]

Ok home now, the liquid one for powdery mildew is “topas 10ec”,
the powder one for Downey mildew is ”Aktor triplo blu”. Going to check the chemicals and google away

[nickdub]

good luck with your project - sounds like you are going to have loads of grapes :-)

[Deltawhiskey]

Begin spraying when leaves unfurl, when they are about the size of a 50p coin. Then spray every ten days or so until about a month before harvest (depending on the chemical). The pack instructions should include this information. In subsequent years be aware that the mildew sprays have a habit of becoming less effective. Commercially they rotate to a different chemical.

David

[Deltawhiskey]

Hi again Linden,

Try winegrowers supplies on line. Derek's web pages are a marvelous source of information.

David

[Linden]

Derek Prichard, that’s who I bought the vines from, he has an excellent website but there’s not much info anywhere in the uk for amateur vine growers use of fungicides. I’d love not to use any at all but think if one vine picks up something, then it will spread like wildfire, and the dornfelder and Bacchus both recommend treatment

[Linden]

Just been on his web site again, don’t know how I missed that page before on spraying, just printed them off. It tells me everything I need to know. Thanks David