Comments on Homegrown Evolution: On the Many Frustrations of Gardening: Pierce's Di...

p.s. you could always try some powdered olive leaf...

2009-07-07T16:51:39.459-07:00

p.s. you could always try some powdered olive leaf or olive leaf extract instead of tetracyclin. though I have no idea how much you'd use then.

I want to try this out of curiosity too. but (un)f...

2009-07-07T16:48:58.490-07:00

I want to try this out of curiosity too. but (un)fortunately i don't have a grape vine with Pierce's disease. Please let me know how it goes!

Anonymous, Yeah, the problem, I'm guessing, would...

2009-07-07T08:13:02.403-07:00

Anonymous,

Yeah, the problem, I'm guessing, would be that the antibiotic treatment would need to be re-applied with each infection. Then we're back to evolutionary biology 101--we'll end up breeding antibiotic resistant Xylela fastidiosa and exposing people to yet more anti-biotics in food. Long term the answer is breeding resistant vines.

Nevertheless, I have to admit that I'm tempted to try this treatment out of curiosity. I've got to rip the vine out anyways and I just happen to have some anti-biotics on hand. A bit of a Dr. Faustus moment, I admit.

Tetracyclin is a broadband antibiotic which I'd pr...

2009-07-07T02:48:06.054-07:00

Tetracyclin is a broadband antibiotic which I'd prefer not seen used in no-human use, let alone anti-biotic in food at all. While scientifically interesting, I can't see this to be the solution for edible food.

Anduhrew--Wow, thanks for that link!

2009-07-06T22:07:43.943-07:00

Anduhrew--Wow, thanks for that link!

you could always try some home remedying experimen...

2009-07-06T21:51:42.063-07:00

you could always try some home remedying experiments, it seems fairly simple enough, I think I could pull this off click here

GH-Good point with the terrier. Our Doberman does ...

2009-07-06T14:13:15.950-07:00

GH-Good point with the terrier. Our Doberman does a good job keeping people out of the backyard. He's not so good keeping squirrels out!

Timely post, sad news. Our vines are a disaster th...

2009-07-06T13:54:38.034-07:00

Timely post, sad news. Our vines are a disaster this year, from the combined effects of Pierce's and a tenacious powdery mildew outbreak following persistent SoCal June gloom. Citrus is definitely the main host of the breeding sharpshooters in our neighborhood. Despite Turney's admonition we're going to keep trying; moving existing or planting new table and wine vines to the side of the house away from host plants. I haven't seen a resistent list of vines for CA. Hybrid varieties are currently being tested, and I've read of vaccine and parasitic wasp deterrents as well.

Re squirrels: my neighbor has had some luck with their rodent-hating pet dogs (terriers).

That's so sad! I just planted a couple of grape v...

2009-07-06T13:30:35.097-07:00

That's so sad! I just planted a couple of grape vines this year, so we'll cross our fingers and hope they don't get hit with this. Good to know for future planting, though.

Sue--Turney actually suggested Concord as being re...

2009-07-06T10:12:04.488-07:00

Sue--Turney actually suggested Concord as being resistant to Pierce's. However, when I tried to verify this I found a study indicating that Concord is actually susceptible to the disease. I'm going to replant with something I know is resistant, i.e. muscadine or a native variety.

Anonymous--yes the sharpshooter has predators, so that could theoretically be part of an integrated pest management approach. I don't know if neem oil would work. You'd have to really be on top of spraying it if it did. It is true that young vines are more vulnerable. However, all it takes is one bite from a sharpshooter to transmit Pierce's. I doubt diatomaceous earth would work, but I don't know for sure.

And Transition Westchester--no kidding about the squirrels. How about arrows? Just kidding. The only effective control in the city is to prune your trees to keep them small. Then throw bird netting over the whole tree during the fruiting season. I'll do a post about this soon. This is what my friend Tara at Silver Lake farms does--works very well.

yeah, let's have that cover of Sunset magazine sho...

2009-07-06T06:59:14.272-07:00

yeah, let's have that cover of Sunset magazine show peaches still green and on the tree, half eaten by squirrels (so that the peaches will rot before they mature).
Anyone know good cures for squirrels in the city? (guns are out) If my elderly father-in-law can't keep them out of a bird feeder at his place, I doubt I have any chance of keepign them out of the peaches.

Have you tried diatomaceous earth? Totally safe, c...

2009-07-06T06:55:28.594-07:00

Have you tried diatomaceous earth? Totally safe, can be ingested by humans even and kills bugs dead.

Is there a natural enemy to the sharpshooter and w...

2009-07-06T02:35:38.988-07:00

Is there a natural enemy to the sharpshooter and would hardening the plants early on with Neem or other supplements help? It's a shame to see the old varieties vanish.

Great post, sorry for the loss.

2009-07-06T00:09:05.431-07:00

Great post, sorry for the loss.

I have had terrific luck with two Concord grape vi...

2009-07-05T23:42:50.700-07:00

I have had terrific luck with two Concord grape vines I planted over twenty years ago. Concords not supposed to do well in SoCal climate, but mine have thrived, despite erratic care.
Sue at Camp Waterloo