Question
QUESTION: I have a few grape vines that I am trying to grow.  They are currently still inside since it is a little too cold out.  I have noticed in the last 2 days that they now have a bunch of white/clear tiny circles on them.  Is this some type of fungus or disease?

ANSWER: Stephanie,

Where did these grape vines come from?  How long have you been growing them indoors?  It is tooo hot in the house for them and yes they are getting a fungal disease that could very quickly kill them they need the temperature to be around 40 degrees right now. They would be better off in an unheated garage near a window.  As long as the night temps are above freezing they are fine outdoors. Now that they have this fungus you will need to treat them with a fungicide. You can go to a garden center and find a fungicide or you can spray it every other day with Lysol spray making sure that your spray the entire plant including the fronts and backs of all the leaves. Do not spray with the can too close to the plant. The circles should fade and as soon as the weather is warm you need to get the grape vines planted in the ground. If you are planning to keep growing them in pots the should still remain outdoors all winter. I would be happy to discuss winter protedtion with you if you are keeping them in pots. Good luck.

Darlene
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---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: We just recently purchased them from home depot.  They are keeping them inside so we decided to also.  We plan on planting them very soon but were waiting until we finished building trellaces for them.  On very nice days we have been putting them out on the back stoop to get the most sunlight and we accidently left them out one night.  The next day they started to die so I thought that it may be too cold outside.

Answer
Stephanie,

Young grape vines are very touchy. Over watering can cause then to become droopy or being too cold, too warm or in too dark a location. They need to be kept in a very sunny and cool location but not freezing. Are the grapes potted or still in the original packaging? The packaging is generally sawdust or shredded paper and does not work well at helping them survive. If they are not going in the ground in the next day or 2 you need to put them in flower pots in potting soil, not garden soil. Garden soil will be too heavy and hold too much water when you are not planting it immediately. When you water them you need to empty the excess water out of the drain tray an hour after watering so the roots do not start rotting. I do suggest that you use the Lysol spray treatment I described in my last email to kill any fungus that may be attacking the plant and get it in the ground as quickly as possible. Good luck.

Darlene