mystang89
Full Member
Posts: 28
Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2012 10:11 am
Location: Kentucky

White grapes rotting

Not real sure how to describe this. I have a 2 year old grape vine. Don't know what kind it is. It has a bunch of green grapes on it this year which were nice and sour to the taste. We went out today and some of the grapes started to turn purple but when they did it seems they are also wilting half way through the turning process. I tasted one of the grapes that was a wilted purple and it did not taste good. I live in Kentucky if that gives you any idea of the weather.

Here is a picture of what I am talking about. What is going on with my grapes? I was really looking forward to a bunch of tasty grapes this year but it's not looking that way. :(

JONA878
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1014
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2009 2:14 am
Location: SUSSEX

Any grapes that are slightly damaged are prone to get an attack of botrytis or similar.
It pays to go through your bunches every week and using a pair of `fine scissors ( proper grape scissors are best) cut out any fruit that looks damaged or showing signs of mould.

When you handle the bunches use a stick to hold the fruit....not your fingers. Your fingers will remove the fine coating...'the bloom ' off the grapes and it is this that helps the grapes to ward off disease spores.
On the larger dessert vars of grapes it can be necessary to thin the fruit in each bunch out so that the individual grapes have room to swell and ripen without bursting from lack of room.

mystang89
Full Member
Posts: 28
Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2012 10:11 am
Location: Kentucky

Thanks again Jona! You're a real fruit saver for me. While I'm thinking about it, without knowing what type of grapes I have, how do I know when they are ready to be picked? I did notice some of them literally bursting at the seams. (Split)

JONA878
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1014
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2009 2:14 am
Location: SUSSEX

I'm afraid that you need to get someone to examine your grapes to try to identify them. dessert grapes are obvious by their taste..but wine grapes are far more difficult.

Grapes can be like melons though, in that as they start to fully ripen the skins are inclined to 'set'. Then if you get a sudden uptake of water the burst of growth that can follow splits the skin. It's at this stage that disease can enter so easily.
The one saving grace I get is a load of wasps invade the vines. They clean out the burst grapes beautifully and just leave a dried skin husk behind. So wasps do have their uses after all.



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