Anyone Growing Marquette Grapes?

[grapeman]

Bob I use a lot of double trunks and the use of them depends on the hardiness of the variety in your location. For areas where they could die back from cold, a second trunk gives insurance in case one dies. It also depends on the training system used. With VSP a single trunk is probably best as you can form a T with it at the wire. Top wire also works best with a single wire. There really is no hard and fast method of anything. Let your style evolve as you find what works best for you.

I would wait until late winter/very early spring to prune and yes after the first years growth, go ahead and cut back to 2 or 3 buds. That will push nice vigorous growth next year which will give you enough shoot to begin some type of trunk formation.

I will soon have a bit more time to help you .

gird123 there are some pictures of the modofied GDC on my posts at Fine Vine Wines.
http://forum.finevinewines.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1474&PN=127 There ar other pictures of various stages in among all the pages of posts. Again when I have more time I will write up a preliminary report on this system and may decide to give more information on it. At this time I am not recommending anyone switch to it or any other system until I collect more data.

 

[gird123]

Wow. Very cool.

 

[vinividivici]

Thanks once again, Rich. I know it's a busy time of the year but your comments and insight benefit a lot of us.

 

[vinividivici]

Four-Arm Kniffin Wire Spacing?

I've seen a few different diagrams, but for my area/climate, any recommendations for the spacing from the ground to the first wire and then the space between that and the top wire?

I thought I saw a reference to 36" and then 24"?

Got my trellis wire and accessories being delivered today and the info will be very helpful.

Thanks,

Bob

 

[grapeman]

36-40 inches and then the top of the post- so if 6foot to the top, it would be 72 inches. Alternately you can staple a few inches down instead of on top of the post, but the post can crack at the staple and it can pull out once in a while.

 

[vinividivici]

36-40 inches and then the top of the post- so if 6foot to the top, it would be 72 inches. Alternately you can staple a few inches down instead of on top of the post, but the post can crack at the staple and it can pull out once in a while.

Thanks, Rich. My posts are close to 7' above ground, so I think I'll do that.

Just got the wire, gripples, post vises, etc. today.

Bob

 

[vinividivici]

Trellis System Done

Finally finished the Marquette vineyard today. Other than trying to untangle 500' of wire over the past few days, it went well I think. I used Orchard Valley trellis supplies exclusively.

Some pics:

Bob

 

[grapeman]

Well done Bob. The spinning Jenny is well worth the $50 cost to eliminate the work you had to do untangling it.
http://www.orchardvalleysupply.com/ovsstore/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=102&idcategory=10

 

[vinividivici]

Well done Bob. The spinning Jenny is well worth the $50 cost to eliminate the work you had to do untangling it.
http://www.orchardvalleysupply.com/ovsstore/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=102&idcategory=10

Thanks, Rich. And yes, in hindsight, I should have ordered it. But I thought it was more appropriate for large vineyards. I also should have realized that the 500' of tightly wound wire would go nuclear when I clipped the binding ties!

Next up, Frontenac vines for next Spring...

I hope you've made all the repairs to your damaged systems up there.

 

[ibglowin]

Looking good Bob!

 

[Randoneur]

Bob, that looks like a really nice site for your vineyard, look like lots of open area for wind to dry the morning dew off the vines. Good growing!!!

 

[saddlebronze]

Growing Marquette on poor soil

Hey folks, I am in Northwest Connecticut and was thinking about growing some Marquette. The only issue is my soil is very thin and full of clay. I have bedrock poking up in lots of places. I dug around with my backhoe and there are some spots where the soil goes down a few feet, but that is it. There are tall oak trees back there, so I think vines will grow. Any thoughts? Would I need to mound up some soil from somewhere else on the site to make rows to plant? I know its a weird question, but I have to live here!

 

[Randoneur]

Hey folks, I am in Northwest Connecticut and was thinking about growing some Marquette. The only issue is my soil is very thin and full of clay. I have bedrock poking up in lots of places. I dug around with my backhoe and there are some spots where the soil goes down a few feet, but that is it. There are tall oak trees back there, so I think vines will grow. Any thoughts? Would I need to mound up some soil from somewhere else on the site to make rows to plant? I know its a weird question, but I have to live here!

I'm no expert here, but if the rock under the soil is broken up so the roots can grow down through them, then I think the grapes would grow ok. Some of the best vineyards in France are rock fields unsuitable for anything else. Setting trellis posts would be a challenge.

 

[saddlebronze]

That's what i am thinking, since there are Oak trees on it, the rock must be broken underneath.

 

[vinividivici]

I'm no expert here, but if the rock under the soil is broken up so the roots can grow down through them, then I think the grapes would grow ok. Some of the best vineyards in France are rock fields unsuitable for anything else. Setting trellis posts would be a challenge.

I agree after reading other posts on this topic.

Another good example is the Finger Lakes region. A lot of limestone strata just below (and above in spots) the soil and they have some kick-*** wines.

The knowledgeable vintners say the worse the soil conditions, the harder the vines have to work to get established and they produce some of the finest wines.

Good luck and let us know how things are next Spring when you plant your vines. FWIW, I would order 1X vines that have a more vigorous and lengthy root system with a better developed vine. The 1X is one year plus growth. That's what I planted this past April.

Cheers!

Bob

 

[AlFulchino]

it may have been previously said...but consider multiple trunks for another reason besides cold injury and mechanical damage....crown gall, caused by a bacteria in many soils that finds its way in to the wood from mechanical or pruning damage

 

[saddlebronze]

Thanks guys. I am looking at Marqutte for the Red, any similar Hardy whites?

 

[UBB]

Thanks guys. I am looking at Marqutte for the Red, any similar Hardy whites?

I'd consider LaCrescent.

 

[grapeman]

LaCrescent can be a good white, but it lacks disease resistance so spraying is pretty much needed. There are many whites that will do great for you. Try the wine from some of them to see if you like it and then figure out which one you want to grow. Check out Northeast Vine Supply in southern Vermont to read descriptions of many of them or go to my website and look under Grapes for a few I grow. The experts say St Pepin needs a pollinator vine, but mine bear well without concern (like 30 pounds per vine).

 

[saddlebronze]

I am very excited. I ordered the vines for my test plot which I will plant next spring while I concentrate on clearing the land for the larger plot. I went with Marquette, Lacrescent, Chardonel, Frontenac, St. Vincent, and Traminette. Anything I sould add to the soil of the test plot while it overwinters?