Found this hiding in the Sauv Blanc grapevines the other day as we were putting up nets. Every single leaf has died. It looks like the vine has been hit with roundup (which it hasn’t). Can vines have reactions to fungicides that look like this? Grapevines on either side are fine. Anyone have any thoughts? Maybe a trunk virus of some kind? Is there some service that could test samples?
Why would an entire vine lose all its leaves?
- Thread starter richinsd
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My first thought with your description is that there was some injury on that shoot. If it isn’t localized I would think infection and possibly spray damage.
I’d give the plant a tug and see if gophers got the root system.
That’s my first thought. That or some root or trunk disease. .
I had a Mourvèdre that did that last year just before harvest. We picked grapes anyway and then yanked out plant. Had roots about two inches long all around (two year old plant that was 6 plus feet high and wide. I was so annoyed (feel free to substitute another word) that I tracked the gopher tunnels for twenty feet each direction and put down six gopherhawks. Dead by morning
Well I think you nailed it. But I'm not sure because I haven't seen any evidence of new gopher tunnels. How does one "tug" to determine whether roots have been compromised? Or do you mean tug to see if it pulls out?
I would feel bad about ripping it out....especially if I find the roots look ok. Is there any reason not to just water it like crazy and see if it rebuilds the roots enough to save the plant?
I would feel bad about ripping it out....especially if I find the roots look ok. Is there any reason not to just water it like crazy and see if it rebuilds the roots enough to save the plant?
I mean literally just grab it about a foot above the ground and pull up. Don’t use all of your strength - just moderate pull.
See if it moves easily (or at all). It really shouldn’t move - so if it does, you’ve got a root issue aka gophers.
See if it moves easily (or at all). It really shouldn’t move - so if it does, you’ve got a root issue aka gophers.
That is a sudden collapse of the canopy. If there is not some obvious damage to the trunk, gophers are the next bet. I have never heard of a trunk virus and your leaves show no signs or a virus. It could be caused by severe crown gall around the union, but it is doubtul.
So I lost another one and a third vine is currently “dieing”. Pictures of the third attached. The leaves are dieing starting at the beginning of the shoots and yellowing (or in some cases still green) the higher you go up the shoot. Is that the way plants die from water/nutrient deficiency?
I did the “pull test” and the two trunks on the dying vines may have moved a bit more. More lateral movement than vertical though.
I haven’t seen any freshly turned dirt that usually signifies gophers...but maybe it’s just living in existing tunnels.
All three vines are in different rows.
Does anyone use gopher baits? Or just the traps ( which require digging to find the tunnel if I recall correctly). There are allegedly these sonic sticks that are supposed to drive them away.
Weird that I’ve had gophers every year since we planted but nothing like this has happened.
I did the “pull test” and the two trunks on the dying vines may have moved a bit more. More lateral movement than vertical though.
I haven’t seen any freshly turned dirt that usually signifies gophers...but maybe it’s just living in existing tunnels.
All three vines are in different rows.
Does anyone use gopher baits? Or just the traps ( which require digging to find the tunnel if I recall correctly). There are allegedly these sonic sticks that are supposed to drive them away.
Weird that I’ve had gophers every year since we planted but nothing like this has happened.
