I have a red grape that I'm taking care of since one year. I don't have details about the exact type. This is in the Netherlands; we are currently getting into spring. I notice that the leaves that are currently being produced are reddish, while I would expect fresh green. The color of the larger leaves seems fine. Is this normal or is this indicative of a problem?
I'm particularly careful with this plant because we did not get a harvest last year. The plant produced grapes which started to color, but before they were ready to be harvested they dried up. According to a wine grower in the area this would have been some sort of fungus (though they based this solely on my description). I must confess that the pruning shears I used when I pruned the plant in early December were not thoroughly cleaned.
In autumn last year I planted some phlox at the foot of the grape. Previously the foot had only about 30×30cm of soil; I lifted some tiles around to make room for the phlox and allow for better watering. This year March I worked dry cow manure into the earth. I tend to avoid watering the grape except in long dry spells (say longer than one week).
Does this indicate a problem, can it be identified, and if so, what can I do to improve the situation?
