Oh No! Roundup on 1yr old grapevine

I was spraying around a raised bed (some grape vines live here and grow on the fence) and my silly dogs bumped into me while spraying grass and I sprayed about the first 12 inches of grape vine coming out of the grown with roundup. The vine is dormant right now (no leaves or foliage) and I immediately hosed it with water (don't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing - probably both) and now I wonder if it will survive or if it will die a slow, horrible death? I hear grapevines are very hardy even with a roundup application, but this is just a baby concord vine that is only about 6 foot long and not very woody or thick yet. Will it make it?

Soaking it with water was about the only thing you could have done, and lots of prayer that it makes it

If you hosed it off right away that's the best thing you could do. I think there are instructions on Roundup about not applying it right before it rains so it seems like immediate rinsing would minimize the damage. And the vine being dormant will probably help make the damage less too. No guarantees of course, but there is definitely hope that it'll pull through so don't give up yet. There's really not much else you can do now besides sit back and hope for the best.

Dormant helps a lot. Not on the growing end helps. Quickly spraying it with water helps. If I had to apply round up anywhere near plants I wanted to keep. I'd do it some other way than spraying. Over spray is so hard to control as you have found out. I'd go with a brush, sponge on a stick, sponge mop, or paint roller. you don't have to soak a plant in round up to poison it.

This message was edited Jan 29, 2013 12:08 AM

Even with the dogs put away, spraying tends to drift and tends to show up later. You did good by spraying.

Thank you for the positive thoughts - I'm glad to hear that washing it off was a good thing. Now I will sit back and see how the leaves grow in - I'm sure there will be some damage, but I do hope it survives, repairs itself and gets going again.

From my understanding, Roundup works best in the spring when the plant is actively growing, and is carried from the leaves down into the root system. That would suggest to me that spraying the dormant vine, then washing it off immediately, would have only a minimum killing effect if any. Good luck!

Pam

Round Up works on the foliage. It is aborsorbed by the foliage and taken to they root where it does its work. Spraying on the woody part of a dormant plant shouldn't affect it.

When using weed killers or pesticides close to ANY other plants / shrubs ect that you don't want harmed while spraying, sprinkling or watering in, it is a good idea to make a easy erected plastic protector by either using large bin bags and a tent poles from garden canes, or make a few holes down both edges of plastic sheet and weave canes in / out of these holes then put the canes into the soil so the plastic acts as a protective shield preventing any nasties being sprayed or carried by the breeze onto foliage / growth that needs protection from the killer spray.
What happened in your case is one of the most common causes for accidental spray going in the wrong direction. It is also very important to keep your pets inside at the time your spraying too as they can lick, sniff or chew the affected plants just out off curiosity. I would recommend early morning or late evening early spring or late summer if possible as the best time as the air is cooler and no animals are about so much at these times. Normally once the spray has dried it is safer for animals as the pungent smell on some of those products has usually gone after drying.
Good luck, hope your grapes are OK, WeeNel.

Well the good news is, there are leaves on the vine! Small and just starting, but they are present and are scattered all over the vine. I guess time will tell how much (if any) damage is done but I am very excited that it has come back. That was a very close call!

If it is growing leaves then I'd say it was going to be good.

I'd say no damage at all... Without foliage, roundup has no way to get to the root. :-)))))

IF your ever going to use weed-killers again in among other growing plants, you should try painting the weed-killer onto several leaves of the intended target plant, by using a small brush like old make-up brush that is soft, paint a few leaves (I like to crush the leaves in my hand just firm enough to cause wrinkles on the leaves) this helps the intake of the weed-killer is speeded up by the slight damage on the leaves.

I only ever have to resort to weed-killers as a last resort and certainly after I've tried every other method like weeding, Continual cutting back the weed or exposing the weeds roots, spreading salt or vinegar but, even when using more natural products, you still need to use great care.

Hope your vines are continuing to grow and you are breathing a bit more easy by now, you had a narrow escape EH !!!!.
Good luck. WeeNel.

Thanks for the support and great ideas!

Your very welcome. WeeNel.