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How about a Friend or Foe thread? Can anyone identify the insect laying these eggs?

Last year I bagged my grapes, which worked really good for birds. It was a pain to put them on, but it will go better this year. I had zero problems with birds, and the grapes were in great condition. The problem I had was raccoons, particularly the last two weeks til harvest. They climbed up...

https://www.goodfruit.com/sugar-sours-birds-on-eating-valuable-cherry-crops/

I Have some Petite Pearl using HWC cordons and spurs. This is their fourth year. I've had problems with excess vigor, with canes running for 20 feet etc. This spring I pruned the majority of the spurs to 3 or 4 buds, thinking maybe I can control vigor this way. I've read a few articles on shoot...

I'm considering, or rather planning on doing a leaf/petiole analysis this year. I have no experience with this. I assume it is best done early in the season? When and how should it be done? Does it matter which lab I use? I am in Northern Illinois, border with Iowa. Any information is appreciated.

I know many of you are still in the hurry hurry of harvest and crush, etc. Some of us have been done for a month now. I'm done and looking ahead to next year. I have both Verona and Petite pearl. The Petite Pearl harvested at 3.77Ph and T.A. .8. The leaves are showing symptoms of I believe are...

That is my question; Can I test my soil with my Ph meter? If so how? Thanks

I picked and crushed some Petite Pearl last night. The Ph is 3.75 and the T.A. is .8. Question: Should I add acid to lower the Ph? Do something post ferment? Nothing? or something different to the aforementioned?

I have five gallons of Petite Pearl that I made about a year ago, I'm getting ready to bottle it. I racked it in December and the Ph was 3.52. For better or worse I cold stabilized it and then checked it today and it is 3.36. To me it tastes fine. Will I regret it down the road if I don't raise...

Who is doing Elderberries this year? How is the harvest. It is pretty prolific in Northern Illinois. I have gathered about 20 pounds so far. What are you going to do with yours?

The title is basically my question. Can we head prune Northern hybrids like Marquette and Petite pearl?

I am using a small room in my basement to store wine. I want to install a 5000 btu window air conditioner. I can either vent it into my basement or vent outside through a window that I can close up. My question is: Does the unit have to vent into the basement to avoid drainline freezing in the...

How late in the year should one continue to spray? How do you decide when to stop? I'm in Northern Illinois.

Does anyone have any experience with using bags to protect the grapes from birds? I see that 100 years ago it was being experimented with, and I see that Japanese sources are selling them. I see some are using mesh bags and muslin as well. Would it protect against disease or increase it?

I'm curious to see pictures of your Verona's. How are they growing? These are what mine look like today. They seem to be slower growing than my Petite Pearl, which is my only frame of reference. Mine have about ten leaves.

I received five Verona Vines in the mail yesterday and promptly went out in the sleet and planted them. I started working up the ground last summer and had it all ready by fall. Kind of excited about getting them in early and really on a perfect day for them, not for me. I have seven Petite...

The title basically poses my question. Which is more important pH or the TA level? I have a young red wine still fermenting, the Ph is 3.77 and the TA is 8gl. At the beginning of the ferment the pH was 3.50 with a TA of 6gl. I wish that the pH was lower for aging issues, but I am hesitant to add...

I have a pruning-cordon placement question. These are first year Petite Pearl vines. The top of the arbor is ten feet off the ground. I plan to have a top cordon at the ten foot level, and the vines are beginning to send out various laterals. I assume I can also have parallel cordons at the five...

On one of my Petite Pearl vines (in Illinois) I observed this morning, thousands of little black insects about the size of fleas. They are on the tips. What might they be? and what might the treatment be? I can't take pictures because they are so small.

Is this Red Elderberry? I am seeing a lot of this year and am wondering if it is edible?