RE: grape fungus anyone?

[zeroma]

Today I was asked about grape fungus. He stated he had a huge supply of tree/branch woodchips delivered from the electric power company to build 'Back to Eden" style garden.

He also told me he now also has mushrooms all over the place and knows some of them are poisonous for sure. So he is concerned for his kids accidently eating them. His description of the fungus is 'that it is all over everything and the leaves in his apple trees are curling".

Other than grapes and apple trees, other specific plant types weren't mentioned. Is there a fungus like this that anyone knows of. If not fungus, which the mushrooms fit into, is there a disease that would spread all over everything.

Can anyone enlighten me about what fungus likes heirloom grapes?
What organic fungicide can be used?

Zeroma

PS I also told him about tomatoville.com (so I hope he will join and follow up with this and find a remedy).

[Lorri D]

I always thought that the wood chips and fungus went hand in hand. I have seen lots of videos on wood chips being used and the people are usually very happy and proud to see the mushrooms form. Some even inoculate mycorrhiza etc. into their chips on purpose.

[RayR]

You can be sure of one thing, the mushrooms have nothing to do with the foliar pathogens on the grape vines and apple trees. A mushroom is just the fruiting body of a soil dwelling fungus underground, they feed on dead organic matter not living plant tissue and definitely not on leaves, stems and fruit.
The grapes could be victim of a fungus that causes powdery mildew on grapes. The apple trees are certainly being attacked by some other species of pathogen. I don't know, you'd have to diagnose the problems by the symptoms.

[zeroma]

Thanks Lori D and RayR. Since I don't know this guy - just had my computer tuned up from his Laptop Service, though I'd see what you all knew!

He is convinced it is from the woodchips and I didn't think so. I emailed him some of your information.

Funny I just thought of seeing all the vineyards in California with roses planted at the ends of all the rows, beautiful thing to do I was thinking when we visited many years ago. But it is to catch the fungus as it first gets started.

Zeroma

[AlittleSalt]

Powdery Mildew happened here a lot this year on native grape vines/leaves. It turned them a cloudy milky color.

[RayR]

Originally Posted by zeroma

Thanks Lori D and RayR. Since I don't know this guy - just had my computer tuned up from his Laptop Service, though I'd see what you all knew!

He is convinced it is from the woodchips and I didn't think so. I emailed him some of your information.

Funny I just thought of seeing all the vineyards in California with roses planted at the ends of all the rows, beautiful thing to do I was thinking when we visited many years ago. But it is to catch the fungus as it first gets started.

Zeroma

Zeroma, since he works with computers for a living like i do, I would assume he knows how to use information on the internet to diagnose problems. There's plenty of diagnosis guides on the Net to identify specific plant diseases. Grapes have many, Downy mildew, Powdery Mildew, Anthracnose, Black Mold, Grey Mold and Crown Gall. Apple trees can be plagued by many more diseases.

It's possible that the wood chips could have some disease causing spores on them but then fungal and bacterial spores can be carried on the wind or be embedded in rain drops. Fungi that grow on wood or form mushrooms in the soil are saprophytes, they are the primary decomposers of the tough cellulose and lignin fibers in dead plant matter.