Due to overwhelming demand for the commercial grape spray program design workshop in Ellijay, we have decided to offer the same workshop in Dahlonega on March 2nd from 9:30am-3:00pm. Join us at the Lumpkin County Parks & Rec. building located at 365 Riley Rd., Dahlonega, GA 30533. Pesticide credits will…
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Many of the fungicides utilized for Botrytis management are no longer efficacious due to resistance development in this fungus. Now is a great time to collect Botrytis samples for fungicide-resistance testing. While the funds last, Botrytis resistance testing is free for wine grape producers in most of the Southeast (Alabama,…
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Mark Hoffman, viticulturist for NCSU, sent me the following information this morning. There will be a pertinent webinar on responding to COVID in winery operations. The webinar will take place on Monday, May 18th from 12-1:30 PM, and is titled “Re”wine”ing the Clock in a Post-COVID World: ensuring personal safety &…
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Pierce’s disease (PD) is a threat to vineyard sustainability in some parts of the southeastern US. PD is particularly a threat to susceptible cultivars planted in vineyards that are located in low-elevation, “warmer” micro-climates. PD was observed in several vineyards in late summer/fall 2019. We have experienced yet another moderate…
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Many members of the UGA Viticulture Extension Team have been hard at work this week providing workshops to help industry members develop a sound vineyard pest management plan. Workshops were held in Carrollton on Tuesday and in Dahlonega yesterday; one more workshop will be held on Tuesday, March 17th in…
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The moderate winter temperatures may result in an early bud break in vineyards. Frost protection may thus be of concern for many industry members throughout Georgia and the southeastern US. Please see this link for our extension bulletin on frost protection considerations. https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%201490_1.PDF Please also see this link (from eXtension)…
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Agenda:
9:30 Registration
10:00 Disease management considerations for developing a spray program
10:30 Insect management considerations for spray program development
11:00 Group work
12:00 Lunch
12:30 Group work
2:00 Group presentations
3:00 Wrap up and final questions with experts
Workshop dates, registration contacts and locations are below (maximum of 20 participants per location, so sign up early to ensure a spot):
Paula Burke at 770-836-8546 or
March 3, 2020
UGA Extension Carroll County Office
900 Newnan Road, Carrollton, GA
(lunch provided on site)
Clark McAllister and Nathan Eason at 706-265-2442 or
March 5, 2020
Lumpkin County Parks and Recreation Building
365 Riley Rd, Dahlonega, GA
(lunch provided on site)
Ashley Hoppers at 706-632-3061 or 706-645-4426 or
March 17, 2020
Cartecay Vineyards
5704 Clear Creek Rd, Ellijay GA
(lunch provided on site)
We are involved with a group of scientists who are reviewing several aspects of grape disease management, especially powdery mildew management (the FRAME Network). If you have time, the FRAME Network wants to hear how you approach disease management decisions. If you are a grape grower, or a consultant for…
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I observed significant Pierce’s disease and downy mildew yesterday, and both diseases are starting to show up in multiple northern Georgia locations now. As I was looking at plants, I realized that one can confuse early downy mildew and Pierce’s disease if one is not careful. If plants have confirmed…
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The UGA Extension Viticulture Team is kicking off the New Year with another opportunity for vineyard managers to attend an interactive training focused on disease and insect control, both of which are critical components of an IPM program for grapes. On February 23, vineyard managers will have the opportunity to…
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Hello everyone, I know it is a busy time for you are, so I will make this quick. With grape root borer adult activity coming to a close here in Georgia, I wanted to get your input on this tricky pest. Below is a link to a short questionnaire about…
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We collected our first grape root borer adults today in one of our pheromone traps in Lumpkin County, Georgia. This means that the adults have started to emerge from the soil out of their pupal stage. For the next few weeks the adults will emerge, mate, and the females will…
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I just wanted to alert everyone that spotted wing drosophila (SWD) management timing is approaching soon. The SWD flies are active nearly year round in these parts, but near veraison as the brix levels in wine grapes reach approximately 15 degrees Brix, the grapes become attractive (and thus susceptible) to…
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Paula Burke has alerted me that the Japanese beetles are starting to show up in West GA vineyards. They are only just beginning to emerge, so their numbers will increase dramatically over the next few weeks. In large enough numbers, Japanese beetles can be a severe pest of grapes during…
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It has been a difficult start to the year for many. Frost has been persistent in this relatively “early” growing season. The most recent frost events have occurred late enough that tissues likely would have been damaged if a frost occurred on a similar calendar date in several previous seasons….
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Please see these links for a list of management considerations for bunch grape and muscadine vineyards. These were developed by Mark Hoffmann and other NC State Extension Specialists. https://grapes.ces.ncsu.edu/2020/03/bunch-grape-vineyard-covid-19-chores-march-april/ https://grapes.ces.ncsu.edu/2020/03/muscadine-covid-19-chores-march-april-2020/
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Our annual pruning workshop was held yesterday. As a review for those in attendance, and as a reference for those unable to attend, here is UGA Extension Bulletin 1505, “Dormant Spur and Cane Pruning Bunch Grapevines”: https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/B%201505_2.PDF Muscadine pruning was also briefly discussed at the workshop. Here is a…
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A colleague forwarded me the following learning opportunities in viticulture and enology, as particularly related to Bordeaux cultivars. Given that some Bordeaux cultivars are widely planted throughout the southeastern US, these “short courses” may be of interest to some UGA Extension Viticulture Blog subscribers. Bordeaux Sciences Agro has created…
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