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What’s wrong with my grape vine?

joe.shimminjoe.shimmin Posts: 214
in Plants
Good afternoon, 
I bought this big grape vine in the autumn and it is now showing the first signs of life. However, I think the larger branch has died. What do you think? And does it need cutting off? Pictures show the whole thing and then some close ups of what looks like rot on the big branch. Thanks




Posts

  • joe.shimminjoe.shimmin Posts: 214
    Photo below shows the affected area.


  • PerkiPerki Posts: 2,527
    edited April 2020
    I would wait and see it may break some buds still plenty of time , I wouldn't even think of cutting any of that trunk off until at least late december - January when the plant full dormant . 
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    edited April 2020
    I think you may be right.  That vine is decades old and probably didn't appreciate being moved and cut back so hard.  Whatever you do, don't cut it back right now, while the sap is rising, or if any of that large stem is still alive, the vine will bleed to death.  Grape vines can be fickle things and that part may yet spring back to life.  If it doesn't, remove it around December, or after all of the leaves have fallen.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • joe.shimminjoe.shimmin Posts: 214
     No problem, I’ll leave it alone and hope that it comes to life. If it doesn’t I’d quite happily leave the dead bit on as it will look a little strange without it. Would that be OK or could whatever killed it spread?
    Thanks for your replies.
  • joe.shimminjoe.shimmin Posts: 214
    Brilliant, there was me thinking it would be a shortcut to buy a big one! I got it from Homebase for £90, reduced from £180. Thought that was a bargain. Oh well, like you say, we live and learn. 
    I also bought a walnut tree that’s quite big and that’s gone the same way. Mostly dead. I must confess, I didn’t prepare the planting hole as well as I could have. 
    Still, I have also planted lots of very young trees, which are coming in very well!
  • joe.shimminjoe.shimmin Posts: 214

    My English Walnut - looked pretty bad through last summer but showing a bit more life this spring.
  • joe.shimminjoe.shimmin Posts: 214

    One of my more successful trees- a young apple espalier.
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