[grapeman]

Well I finally got my new vineyard started last weekend. I had worked the ground earlier and was eagerly awaiting the arrival of my new additions from Double A Vineyards. I had received 20 vines from Millers last month. I set them in some 2 gallon containers in the greenhouse. Will tell more about sources and varieties later. I rented a post hole digger with 16" auger because I had almost 200 holes to do-between posts and vines. Started at about 9:30 AM and finished in about 3 hours. What a time and labor saver!


Anyway here are some pictures of progress so far.


Just kidding about that one! Hope mine turns out like this someday.





The beginning.....


























Now some vines... first a LaCross before trimming.





Trimmed...


Planted(same vine all pictures)








More assorted pictures..





A Frontenac started inmy greenhouse-from Millers.





Throw in a few apple blossoms- just starting in picture, but now almost full bloom.





I'll post more pictures later. Last night I set the end anchors and hope to run the wires this weekend if the weather breaks for a while(raining now).


I set 40 Frontenac, 20 St.Pepin, 25 LaCross from Double A and 20 assorted vines from Millers- some seedless- all pretty hardy.


RichardEdited by: appleman

[bilbo-in-maine]

Richard - amazing soil you have, not a rock to be seen. Very different from
what I dealt with this spring as I dug my vineyard in. I bought Frontenac and
St. pepin also, plus 4 other varieties, but from Northeastern Vine Supply in
Vermont. They will ship in early June in grow pots, already started. Perhaps
as the summer passes we and Masta can compare experiences. We have
some 3 year old table grapes that I'm enjoying watching as they begin
leafing out. Good luck with your vines!
Bill

[grapeman]

Thanks Bill.


The one end of the field runs sandy and is a little too well drained. I have a hydrant at that end. The other end has some baseball sized stones but not a lot. It also has more clay in it. Grapes don't like an over fertile soil, but like it deep. This should be a good site.


The 20 vines from Millers I got in Mid-April so I stuck them in pots in the greenhouse- the roots really started and spread well. This seems to be a good way to give them a jump start.


I also am starting 100 Frontenac, 50 Chardonnel, 50 Leon Millot, 25 Alden, 20 Buffalo and my own 25 Niagara from cuttings. They are finally starting to root. The most developed vines have about 6 inches of root growth, but most are just beginning. They only cost 50 cents apiece from Double A so not a big investment. If they aren't ready for planting by early June, I may set them in a nursery row and irrigate for this year, setting next year.


Hope your vines arrive soon. Let me know how they look when they arrive. How is the shipping handled with the plants started in pots? I live just across the lake from them.


Richard

[masta]

WOW!!!! I am very impressed with your operation and I am a bit ashamed about calling my 12 vines stuck in between the rocks a vineyard.


As you said the soil looks perfect since vines don't really like fertile soil. We have more rocks than anything else at our house but I did live about 10 miles away where the soil was nothing but a top layer of loam and beach sand underneath but had a 2ft water table.


Please keep us posted!!!

[PolishWineP]

Oh man! You got me with that first picture! It was the positioning of the scroll of the screen that did it!


It all looks great though! It looks almost like you're planting at the beach.

[grapeman]

Actually you are right about the beach. This used to be the beachline of Lake Champlain about 10,000 years ago. We have some topsoil on top, but the subsoil is actually like beachsand and is about 4-12 feet deep. Under that is about a ten foot band of gray clay. This area was actually under the lake before the last glaciers receeeded. The clay band keeps the water up within reach of most plants. The other side of the farm(about a mile away) my brother grows vegetables on.


We've gtten about an inch of rain today so I couldn't run the trellis wire, but I could hear the little vinelings giggling with delight in the rain...... Oh, wait a minute, maybe I did a little too much sampling today while I was bottling that Zinfandel and Mexican Beer.

[sally3]

Wow! I am impressed! I am a neighbor...Michigan. I
never thought of planting a serious vineyard. This is really
exciting and beautiful. :-) Sally

[PolishWineP]

Oh, I'm sure you did hear them giggling. You just need to know what to listen for to hear them. It's a good sign that they will be loved!

[bilbo-in-maine]

Richard - Yes, Northeastern Vine is over on the west side of Vermont. I
believe shipping is by UPS, but I don't know how Andy Farmer packages his
vines.

You are an orchardist - do you know anything about espalier training for
fruit trees, or have done any yourself? My wife and I are new to it and trying
to get 6 plum and pear trees trained to horizontal wires.

Bill

[Angell Wine]

I'm jealous. 270 vines, that would about 1000 - 750 liter bottles. You're going need a taster in about 5 years. Keep me in mind now.