copper and grape vines

[Jeff Chorniak]

I'm designing something for my vineyard trellis. It's rather complicated,
and I won't go into detail here. But I need to know how a grape vine might
react if the canes and shoots are touching copper (as in copper piping).

I know that copper sulfate is toxic to most vegetation, except in micro
quantities. If canes, shoots and leaves are trellised--in part (but not
all)--to copper piping, can this have a detrimentatl affect? Or, is seasonal
contact of the canopy too minimal?

(mayb if I painted the copper---but then, what about the paint?)

Any feedback would be appreciated

Jeff

[STEPHEN PEEK]

One of the earliest treatments for fungal diseases in grapes was Bordeaux
mix which contained copper. So, I think copper pipes would be fine.
Steve

Post by Jeff Chorniak
I'm designing something for my vineyard trellis. It's rather complicated,
and I won't go into detail here. But I need to know how a grape vine might
react if the canes and shoots are touching copper (as in copper piping).
I know that copper sulfate is toxic to most vegetation, except in micro
quantities. If canes, shoots and leaves are trellised--in part (but not
all)--to copper piping, can this have a detrimentatl affect? Or, is seasonal
contact of the canopy too minimal?
(mayb if I painted the copper---but then, what about the paint?)
Any feedback would be appreciated
Jeff

[gene]

Post by Jeff Chorniak
I'm designing something for my vineyard trellis. It's rather complicated,
and I won't go into detail here. But I need to know how a grape vine might
react if the canes and shoots are touching copper (as in copper piping).
I know that copper sulfate is toxic to most vegetation, except in micro
quantities. If canes, shoots and leaves are trellised--in part (but not
all)--to copper piping, can this have a detrimentatl affect? Or, is seasonal
contact of the canopy too minimal?
(mayb if I painted the copper---but then, what about the paint?)
Any feedback would be appreciated
Jeff

I have a couple of grape vines trellised with 12 gauge copper wire...
they're quite happy. I have to retension them every couple of years, but
that's cuz the copper wire stretches from the vine load. Since those
wires don't turn bluish (the color of hydrated copper sulfate), I'm
guessing there's too little to harm your vines.

Gene