Pests and disease can cause problems for your crops. Like you don't get to eat what you grew. Resistant varieties have helped reduce disease problems, but resistant does not always mean immune. And to make things more confusing, the same plant will show different levels of resistance in different locations.
I have had great success growing curl resistant peaches, friends have had some curl issues with the same varieties- Frost and Oregon Curl Free. My mildew resistant grapes are- and they aren't. Canadice, and Interlaken both produce nice mildew free crops, but the blue Glenora variety is a mildew monster. All three are resistant varieties, but not all work equally well. I will give the Glenora one last chance next year, but the Canadice on the arbor will get more of the space, and I should get more edible grapes.
So how can you know what varieties will work best for you? Location, location, location. Look around your neighborhood and see what works. A north exposure in the hills will provide a very different environment than a flat south exposure close to Coburg.
If you can plant several different varieties, and see which does best, the less productive, or disease prone plant can be removed after a few years. Maybe given to a friend in an area with a different growing climate.
I always plant a half dozen different tomato varieties. Which one does best seems almost random, but by having the variation in plant types, there always seems to be enough fruit.
Broadacres Vineyard in Hubbard has a grape tasting on the ripest Saturday in September. Give them a call at (503) 981-6509 or email broadacr@oregonsbest.com for the exact date.
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