Details for my front yard small vineyard? SE Michigan

[michiganwine]

Howdy all.
Looking to create a little vineyard in my front yard in a downtown city area for fun and aesthetics; located in south east Michigan. First time trying this. I already have hybrid 1yr vines on order; la crescent, Marquette and CAYUGA varietals.
Please let me know if you have any suggestions for my setup.
Green area is 43x27ft. Soil is sandy and drains easily, full sunlight all day from right to left.
I am planning 4 rows, 7 vines per row, 28 vines total. vine spacing at 4ft and row spacing at 5 ft.
using 24inch grow tubes to start and planning on doing VSP trim plan. But I am open to setup suggestions based on grape type and environment.
The green stakes are where the end posts will go and spacing.

Let me know your thoughts.

 

[Cynewulf]

Congrats on joining us in a fun, frustrating, and rewarding hobby! I grow Marquette in Virginia on VSP with the exact spacing you’re considering. The 4 feet between the vines is fine in my experience, but I wish I had more than 5 feet between the rows. On VSP, the vines have a tendency to reach out for each other across the rows which is a pain when they’re that close together, making spraying more difficult and mowing can be a bit of a drag. If I do it over again in some future location, I’ll go at least 6 feet between rows for vinifera, and ideally 8 feet for hybrids. This is for Marquette; I don’t have experience with La Crescent, but I’ve heard its growth habit is even wilder than Marquette’s.

 

[ChuckD]

Welcome to WMT. Given what I’ve read, that spacing seems tight. I planted mine last year at 7’ spacing with 10 between rows. I understand if you are space limited… it’s just going to take more in-season pruning.

 

[Rice_Guy]

welcome to Wine Making Talk

i put in eight foot rows by six foot plants and wish that had been eight. Most northern hybrids grow wildly. You can go tighter but it makes more work.
We are in black rot and japanese beetle country, you won’t get a crop unless you develop a fungicide insecticide program, ,,, try your extension for what they do, or look for a vinters club or become best friend of a local vineyard. My favorite grapes are Briana for disease resistant and Petite Pearl for tannins. Marquette grows well but usually has northern hybrid flavor.
What style do you hope to make usually drink?

 

[michiganwine]

welcome to Wine Making Talk

i put in eight foot rows by six foot plants and wish that had been eight. Most northern hybrids grow wildly. You can go tighter but it makes more work.
We are in black rot and japanese beetle country, you won’t get a crop unless you develop a fungicide insecticide program, ,,, try your extension for what they do, or look for a vinters club or become best friend of a local vineyard. My favorite grapes are Briana for disease resistant and Petite Pearl for tannins. Marquette grows well but usually has northern hybrid flavor.
What style do you hope to make usually drink?

Thanks for the reply, I will setup some kind of quick calendar for when to apply fungicide insecticide . We have been hit hard with grubs in the past.
Honestly I don't know what wine we will make yet. Still planning setup phase right now.

 

[michiganwine]

Welcome to WMT. Given what I’ve read, that spacing seems tight. I planted mine last year at 7’ spacing with 10 between rows. I understand if you are space limited… it’s just going to take more in-season pruning.

hopefully the limited # of plants will help with keeping control

 

[Jovimaple]

Welcome to WMT!

 

[michiganwine]

What is the recommendation for grow tubes?

 

[ChuckD]

What is the recommendation for grow tubes?

Studies I have seen show a small increase in first-season growth. I’ve never seen anything suggesting higher or quicker yields due to their use.

For my small vineyard the cost was acceptable, and the critter protection was a bonus.

 

[rahulbr]

Hi and welcome! I planted a small vineyard in SE Michigan recently too (St. Clair County, on a 1/4 of an acre). Japanese Beetles will be horrible if it's anything like the last 2 years. Just carry a bucket of soapy water and knock them off.

I've gotten my ~180 vines through the last 2 winters dealing with japanese beetles that way, spraying every 2-4 weeks with neem oil, and laying down landscape fabric after an initial, intense weeding in May.

Hope it goes well with your first vines and can't wait to hear more!

PS I never used grow tubes and it was fine. All i did was have bamboo supports for any new vines, drip irrigation running along each row of vines (LOTS of water in year 1 since it was a drought of sorts) and got my trellis put in at the end of the first summer. For watering, do long, intense watering ~2 times per week if there's no rain. That avoids having wet soil and wet plants that will attract mold and diseases, and simulates the water the vines would get if it were raining.

My soil was similar to yours, row spacing that I did for my viniferas was about what you're doing (4-5 ft between vines, 8 ft between rows) and I did that for a few hybrids (traminette, regent) without issue so you should be fine. I didn't do VSP though. Mine have devolved into a mess that's kind of Top Wire Cordon for some and Four Arm Kniffen for others Pruning Grapes to the Four-Arm Kniffin System | New Mexico State University - BE BOLD. Shape the Future. just because that was easiest to have others help with. Don't know how I could have done it differently, given that I planted more vines than I could handle.

 

[Rice_Guy]

@rahulbr welcome to wine making talk.

 

[rahulbr]

Thanks Rice_Guy! Glad to be here, so much to learn and I hope to contribute as well.