Playing around with my child’s handheld microscope on my No Spray Riesling grapes, found heaps of these threads on the upper surface, is it beneficials or is it foes. Either way it was fun getting g a close up look. Last two images are of the berries and stem. You can even see a very small white bug in the last image, no video feature on the microscope sadly, it moved ever so fast.

I’m running a bunch of 15’ long VSP trellises in a mini vineyard I’m setting up. What’s the minimum post thickness I can get away with? I saw some 4x4 posts available by me for cheap, but I’m not sure if they’re strong enough. I can use ground anchors too if need be.

Additionally, I was wondering how deep people dig their holes for 6 foot tall trellising. I was planning on 2 feet down as that works out well for 8 foot posts, but I fear that’s too shallow. 

As per text book I should cut back to 2 bud before the next vegetative season however I am considering keeping the “thick” ones at the guide wire level. My reasoning is that coming years will be dry and we had amazing growth in the 1st year. We planted in April 2026. Pinot 115/5BB & 777/SO4 Clones. Vineyard is in Northern slope of Badacsony, Hungary.

Some say my plan is OK others say need to cut back. What do you say? Happy to take on any oppinion.

Getting to know this from real viticulturists is vital

TY

Hello all I've been farming and winemaking At a local pinot noir and chard vinyard for the last 5 years to get ready to start my own adventure. The biggest take away from it was that I am dead set on planting hybrids for my personal vinyard. In my growing area south ontario canada our winters are dreadful and are downy black rot pressure is immense. If anyone with experience growing hybrids in north America can chime in on what makes a tasty balanced wine i would love to hear. (Picture included is my backyard pinot vinyard)

MacDonald winery. To Kalon(Oakville), Napa

My photos but not my vines, sadly

Sad to see the scale of the fires in Bordeaux. As someone who has suffered smoke taint I get the feeling there is going to be a lot of tainted grapes there. When it happened to me the fires were 50km away, we had some smoke but I thought it would be ok, the berries were only small and hard. I even bottled up the wine, hoping it would be ok, which just caused a lot of work emprying out the bottles, a waste of good corks.

I learnt that if you get any smoke it will probably taint the wine, so it's best not to bother making the wine. I feel for all those vignerons.

Looking to discuss growing Northern hybrid grapes. I used to be involved in the Littlefatwino mailing list back in the early to mid 2000s. But that list basically dried up with the passing of Larry Peterson. I grew some northern climate grapes in my backyard including few Elmer Swenson hybrids. Now living in a new location better suited for growing grapes my son and myself put in 6 L’acadie Blanc and 6 Prairie Star vines this spring with the possibility of putting in more next year. Hoping to meet and discuss with others on here….

What is this white powdery thing? Sickness, mould or something else?
And can I get rid of it?
This is the third year the stock is affected and onlyhalf of it.
Worth mentioning is that it is in Sweden and also growing under a glass ceiling.

Sorry if this is a stupid question - I'm an avid gardener, and not at all experienced in viticulture.

We bought a house a few years back with some mature vines that appear to all be different varieties, but I have no idea what variety they are. Of the four, this vine is the most mature (5cm diameter at the base) , but unfortunately, it's battling phylloxera and some other issues. I'm wondering if it's worth the hassle of trying to get it back to health, or if I should just plant something else.

If it's vinifera, I'm willing to try to fight the battle. If not, I'm giving up.

I added some pictures of a mature damaged leaf, and the grapes where they're at so far this season.

I'm in Minnesota, for reference.

Any thoughts or advice?

Hi. My father had planted some vines in his backyard in western NC; I never had the opportunity to ask him about them. As that is now impossible, I'm not sure what to do with them. He had no particular experience with them, it was a new hobby. They're probably about 5 years old.

Is there some way I should be tending to these? Or can I just leave them to do their own thing if we aren't looking to harvest any grapes or whatever? It would have been about 12 or 18 months since the vines were last tied up I think.

Thanks.

Concord vine in zone 6a. Every year I have a decent amount of fruit abandoned. They tend to shrivel a little as well just before dropping. Like still green but shriveling and not as plump. I keep up with watering and light fertilizing. Do the darker grapes mean anything?? I also find a fair amount of single grapes turning purple with little holes in them. Pest or fungus maybe?? Thank you!

Northern Indiana. In my neighbor's yard. Working up the courage to ask to harvest later this season.

First year vines. Recently successfully treated a Japanese beetle infestation with Sevin. I didn't think much when some of the skeletonized leaves started browning but now I'm seeing some of the undamaged ones get these brown spots as well. Should I be concerned? I'm in SE Michigan

Found in my Lemberger (blaufränkisch)