Blog:Oldest grapevine in America survives

File:Vitis californica with grapes.jpg

NOT America's oldest grapevine!

This year was almost the last for the oldest grape vine in the United States. At 400 years old, it's not known if this vine in North Carolina was planted by Sir Walter Raleigh's settlers, or by the Croatan Indians.

This year, the power company was spraying weed killer to clear plants near utility poles, and the contractor sprayed part of the vine as well. It started to spread through the vine, bringing death to branch after branch. The owners of the two houses which the 32 foot wide by 120 foot long vine climbs across were worried and called in specialists.

Three steps were taken - giving it plenty of water, fertilizer and a good pruning! The water would help flush out the herbicide, the fertilizer would give it an energy boost to get new growth going, and the pruning would reduce the amount of herbicide as well and encourage new growth. With these three measures, the vine, and a piece of US history was saved.

So take notes from the experts. If you get some herbicide on a plant you didn't intend to, or the power company does, you know what quick steps to take to try and avert disaster!

Article link: Saving America's Mother Vine

--Raffi 16:10, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

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