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| My new Muscadine vines are struggling, and I can't seem to figure out what the problem is. I think it's some sort of deficiency (I have lots of issues like this this year - I'll be posting in the appropriate forums on each). I've already lost two vines, and I want to try to save the remaining vines.
Here are two pics of the vines. (sorry if the pics end up big - I'm not sure how to scale them down for posting)
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by gonebananas 7/8 (My Page) on Fri, Aug 6, 10 at 21:31
| Often, at least for me, a look like that in muscadines in difficult soil is a simple magnesium deficiency. A foliar spray or root fertilizer application of Epsom salt often will green up such leaves nicely and quickly. Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) is available cheaply in a pound or couple-pound bag or waxed-paper box (as milk or orange juice come in) in any drug store or the health-products area of grocery stores (it is used in solution for soaking feet I think). If magnesium doesn't start to work in a week or so, try iron, or simply do both if convenient. |
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- Posted by gator_rider2 z8 texas (My Page) on Sat, Aug 7, 10 at 3:30
| I agree with gonebannamas if look close at vains in leafs there still green that iron deficiency and new growth that affected most in yellowing. I go for liquid iron feed grade about all feed stores for cattle should have small bottle teaspoon in gallon sprayer fill with water should do improvement in three days. What left spray it on ground over root zone that help next years uptake of plant. High ph soil be iron deficient you need spray soil every year so there be iron that not tied up by calcium (high ph) don't ever lime soil it add to iron tie up. Most well water has high ph so if water plant with well water that adds to ph calcium problem. |
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- Posted by texasmochi 8b (My Page) on Sat, Aug 7, 10 at 9:34
| Thank you both for your advice. gater_rider2 - I do have well water. I'll try both solutions immediately. I feel like this advice may put me on the path to improving similar issues with my blackberries, and jasmine as well. Thanks again |
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| The Bermuda grass in the picture has fairly good color, which says it's getting most of what it needs from the same soil. This suggests that maybe the muscadine isn't getting watered deeply enough to get water below the top of the soil down to the muscadine's roots. It might be getting just barely enough water to keep the grass doing well on the surface, but not watered deeply enough to get to the roots of the musadine. Mulching around the muscadine would help it a great deal, but the Bermuda grass will come right through the mulch in days. Cover an area about 2 feet around the vine with landscape fabric , and then cover the fabric with pine bark mulch will keep the fabric in place. This will help retain moisture around the vine's roots, and help keep the Bermuda grass away from the vine. Under the fabric and mulch, form a berm of soil about 3 inches high to form a circle or "collar" around the vine that is 2 feet from the vine's base. This "moat" around the plant will give water time to soak in to the vine's roots before it runs off.
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| Looks like severe lack of fertilizer to me. Letting grass grow around the vines is not good either, better would be mulch with pine bark for at least 4-8 foot circle. How about soil pH, New Braunfels has limestone soil doesn't it? Probably not so good for muscadines. I've grown lots of muscadines from Ison's but decided I only liked the jelly and didn't much like them for fresh eating except for Darlene. |
Here is a link that might be useful: muscadines
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- Posted by texasmochi 8b (My Page) on Sun, Aug 8, 10 at 16:57
| gtippit & mrtexas - Thank you for the advice. Yesterday I pulled up all the grass growing near the vines, put down a layer of compost, and mulched with newspaper (the only option right now due to my budget). Mrtexas - regarding PH - do you think the PH is too high or Alkaline? I'm always hesitant to try and change the PH for fear I will kill my plants with good intentions. I just fertilize with compost and amend the soil with the usual stuff (greensand, fish emulsion, cottonseed meal, soybean meal, etc.) and hope for the best. I probably should save some money and get the soil tested. My Thompson seedless vines seem to be okay, but they are in a different location on the property altogether. |
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| Muscadine grapes grow back east where the soil is acidic. Where you live the soil is most likely alkaline. Recommend you quit trying to put the square peg in the round hole and just change variety of grapes. Get a grape vine suited for your alkaline soil. Mustang grapes typically get big and purple like Muscadine and taste almost the same - very tart with tough skin, but they grow in alkaline soil. There are several other grape choices that can live in alkaline soil. Here's one company with some choices : http://www.womacknursery.com/grapes.html Good luck. |
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- Posted by gonebananas 7/8 (My Page) on Sun, Aug 8, 10 at 23:16
| If you want muscadines specifically (the aroma is unmatchable), you might try grafting some onto the mustang grape as rootstock. |
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- Posted by texasmochi 8b (My Page) on Mon, Aug 9, 10 at 0:27
| scotjute - I picked Muscadine mostly for sentimental reasons. I should have thoroughly researched their needs. I'm going to stick it out with them and see what happens for now. I did notice an improvement after only one day once I mulched them and doused them with epsom salt water. You're probably right though - I might be fighting a losing battle. Here they are after I gave them some magnesium, mulched them and made a moat with compost which is what was suggested. Still a little sickly I guess. Thank you gtipitt and all for your advice on this - at least I know where I stand, and I have some ideas on what other varieties might be more appropriate; I have some space to experiment, so maybe this winter I'll order some new vines.
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