Farmer's Vineyard

[farmer]

I was late in ordering and planting my vines last spring, now with a year of vineyard research under my beltI have come to the conclusion I need to move these vines. I did not run my rows north and south.I talkedto a couple of local nurseries they said it is not critical but is noticeableat picking time. Also the lay of the field and the ability to expand the vineyard is concern .
I hope to get them dug up and transplanted this weekend if we don't get rain.


My Question is, should I prune them back and start over as if they are first year plants? They are now pruned to a double trunk 6' high.( tried to include a picture but I got an error message" access denied")

 

[grapeman]

farmer, how many vines do you have? I don't remember if you said before. I do remember they are Frontenac. If it is just a few, I wouldn't worry too much either way. If you have a lot, then you need to weigh the gains and losses. You should cut them back and will indeed lose a full year with those vines. Try to get as much root as possible, and you will find they grew a lot of new roots during that year, especially if they grew 6 feet to the top wire. It will be a lot of work.


Gains- increased sunlight exposure to help ripen the fruit a bit faster and more complete in your northern climate. Will it be a big difference, probably not. Then like you say, if they are right in the way, it would be easier to move now than to try and work around them in the future.


You can try and post a picture again and see if it works. If not, make sure file size is under 150k and make sure nor character in the filename like !,@,#,$,%,^,& and so on.

 

[farmer]

I have 30 vines to move and will be planting 30 more this spring . If I was to stop at 60 vines I would leave them the way they are. BUT I have room for 300 vines inthis field , it may take a few years to fill . If it will make a measurable differance in the quality of the grapes now would be the time to turn the rows 90 degrees.

These where planted last spring

It will hurt to cut them back and start over

 

[grapeman]

You have already put quite a lot of work into the vines, in planting, weeding, pruning, setting posts and stringing wires. I wouldn't bother to turn them if it was me. A lot of what direction to run them is jus logistics of the site. Will it be easier to maintain longer runs going east and west / vs north and south? I have my present vineyard planted east and west. It just wouldn't work the other way. The difference in ripening sometimes is just not worth the tradeoffs. The difference is usually minimal at best.

 

[NorthernWinos]

I didn't know anything about grapes when we planted our first 5 grapes for juice...all I did know is that they needed air movement...and I knew that the wind would blow through the rows going East & West...so my rows also run East & West. So, the next 4 rows all run the same way.

Our sun is pretty high in the sky during the summer months, so they seem to get good sunshine till fall...Have noticed some clusters on the North side slower ripening, but...now I have thinned out the vines more so that should help out with the ripening.

I had thought of just moving the wires and leave the plants, just turn their 'arms'...but that isn't going to happen at this point.

Good luck in your venture.

 

[farmer]

Will the deed is done I moved my vines to day. It was one of those things I could not leave . As I was digging I was thinking oh-boy onlyfiveyears until we can enjoy an aged bottle of Frontenac wine. So I had to settle for a bottle ofhard ciderto soothe the aching muscles.

As it was

As it is

 

[grapeman]

Good luck with both the older and the newer vines farmer. Now they will be growing about the same age as they go. It looks like you have a good chunk of ground to use there! Looks great! I can't imagine having to dig up those vines that had grown a whole year - from a root standpoint. I dug some up yesterday with a spade fork for a member to add to her vineyard from my little nursery. I tried to get most of the roots, but they would trail off so far that as I tugged on them they would eventually break off. Some of them were over 5 feet long after breaking.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Farmer.....A fresh start for both old and new....that was an ambitious chore, but it is done and now you can just sit back and watch them grow. Good Luck...now let the fun begin.

Appleman....Those grapes must really enjoy your sandy soil to grow roots like that....sounds like a perfect rooting medium....Happy plants!!!!

Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[farmer]

When I pruned back my transplanted vines I left more buds then needed to be sure I had healthy buds . The buds are swelling now, would this be a good time to prune back to two or three of the best buds and could the unwanted buds be rubbed off? There are four to six buds on the stems now.

 

[grapeman]

It would be fine to rub off the unwanted ones now or for the next couple weeks. I wouldn't prune much wood right now as the sap is actively flowing. I had to prune later than desired this year and I am seeing some canes that look dead now after bleeding VERY heavily for two weeks. I think they just dried out too much!.

 

[NorthernWinos]

My vines are actually dripping on warm days......That has to weaken the plant....?

Thought things were pretty dormant when I pruned.....and some days snow was up to your 'ying-yang'.....thought it would be safe.

You had pretty deep snow when you did some of yours...what are we suppose to do...and...when.

 

[farmer]

I should not have to prune any wood if I can rub off the buds . I cut the vines back to 6" to 8 ".
My vines where wet around the base when I pruned the first time before I moved them but they where not bad after transplanting , maybe disturbing the roots slowed them down.
I checked tonight looks like they are all budding nicely.


Sometime here I need to get my new vines out, the bareroot plants are in the shop refrigerator and the potted plants are under a grow light.


It is going to get busy around here, the rain missed us today andgoing to try and get some corn in the ground in the next few days.

 

[farmer]

Here are a few pictures of my vineyard and the difference one season makes.




This picture was probably around June 1st

This picture is Sept 1st

First year Marquette

Second year transplanted Frontenac

First year Sabrevois

Nanking Cherries and Amur Maples along the road

There is room for30 more vines.I will fill it next spring from my nursery.


I finished working the rows this week and seeded grass last night .Today it rained all day so the grass should have a good start.


It has been a learning experience with much more to learn.I am looking forward to the next step GRAPES!!!




Thank You everyone for the help along the way.

 

[grapeman]

Things are doing great there farmer! It is really picture perfect. Looks like great soil- maybe a bit too good. That could make those vines really thrive in the following years and be hard to control. That's minor price to pay for nice healthy vines that will be bearing in no time. How big did the shoots get this year in diameter? I bet some are big enough to use to start trunks with next year. I know a guy in Vt that has some Marquettes in their third growing season that has a harvest of about 20 something pounds on third year vines they were so vigorous. He had several experts out this year to see about thinning them and they all said that they are so vigorous, to leave all of them grow! Hope yours do as well.





Great to see some pictures.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Farmer....your vineyard is looking great and in just a few months.

Nanking Cherries....You'll love em!!!

 

[farmer]

I would like to add a couple more whitewine varietiesto my vineyard. I have Frontenac Gris and La Crescent now, my choices are limited due to winter temps(-30) I am considering Prairie Star, Louise, Edelweiss or Briana.



Does anyone have input on these varieties or any others I may have missed.

 

[Waldo]

Awesome looking vineyard buddy. You have done a great job on it

 

[grapeman]

Al and others I have read, like Briana a lot. I have 25 coming in a few weeks. If you don't mind labrusca flavors and scents, then Edelweiss would do well. It is a good heavier yielder of large clusters with large berries. Louise Swenson is a very nice white with great looking long thin clusters. It by itself is a bit neutral, but the LaCrescent would add to that if mixed. I list Prairie Star last. It is a good grower, makes nice clusters, is pretty disease resistant, BUT has a tendancy to have brittle shoots in the spring. Some of our vines last year only had two or three clusters on, because the vines had to start the growing season with only two or three canes left after the winds!


If you can find them (developed in Nebrasca), Petite Amie is nice. Great flavors, and has good body.


If you were just a bit warmer, there would be many more choices. Good luck with your project.

 

[farmer]

It was hard to choose two varieties soI ordered four.I talked toAndy Farmer at Northeastern Vine Supply and ordered Louise Swenson,Prairie Star,LaCrosse and St Croix.
I checked into Prairie Star and the problems with brittle shoots and I guess I will give it a chance. I was going to order Briana but it was sold out . Iam happy with thevines I am getting and looking forward to getting them in the ground. Delivery will be the first week in May.

 

[grapeman]

That's the way to do it- want two- order 4!

Those should be good for you there. Now ground prep and then planting.