There are several different types of pests that threaten a grapevine. Types of pests include disease, insects or even birds and deer.

There are several different types of pests that threaten a grapevine. Types of pests include disease, insects or even birds and deer.

Diseases:

Common diseases for grapevines can be mildew, black rot, phomopsis cane and leaf spot, and fungus. A list of symptoms will be noticeable if the vine does come down with a disease. Common symptoms are discoloration of the vines leaves, a film covering the leaves, lesions covering the leaves, or the decay of berries. If your grapevine does come down with a disease a fungicide can used to clear up the problem. But, a sufficient amount of research needs to be completed by the grapevine owner n order to figure out which is the best solution for them.

Insects:

There are a ton of insects just waiting to engross themselves in your hard work. Grape berry moths lay their eggs directly on the surface of the grapes. The larva then hatches and bore into the berries leaving behind small holes and webbing between berries indicating a problem. Grape leafhoppers are insect that feed on the undersides of the leaves. Fortunately only extremely high populations of this insect can cause damage to the crop. The Japanese beetle continues to expand its distribution within the United States. They can seriously reduce the productivity of the vine. Rose chafers are a large beetle that feed directly on the clusters of grapes. On average, grapevines can withstand low to moderate levels of insect damage. Most of the time, it is only necessary to control insects when they threaten a large portion of the leaf area or the fruit itself. Insecticides can be used to control insect infestation.

Birds:

The damage that birds can inflict on a small crop of grapes can be devastating. Surprisingly, a large flock of birds is easier to scare then individual birds. One option to consider if you are finding that birds are a problem is to place a physical barrier over the crop. This netting will last about thirty months but should be taken off before winter for fear ice will form on it and damage the vine. Because grapevines grow on a trellis, using a net is realistic and easy to install. Visual repellents can also be used and very easy to install. There are cannons on the market that can be set on timers to give a loud blast at certain intervals to scare birds away during feeding times. But, if you are a grape grower that is using their backyard as the sight to grow the grapes, loud cannon sounds can cause more problems then they solve primarily with annoyed neighbors. Visual repellents are quiet and simple such as aluminum pie plates. It can also be artificial hawks, owls, or snakes.

Deer:

While deer will only be a threat in certain areas, they can cause serious damage to your vines if it is not prevented. Odor repellents are a practical solution to this problem: dog hair, human hair, coyote hair and soap as the leading kinds of repellents recommended by most growers.

With all of the dedication and hard work it takes to produce a grape crop, preventing pests from ruining it should be a high priority.