Kentucky vineyard

[Motomike]

Spent the entire day yesterday working on my vineyard, preparing to plant next spring. I subsoiled the hillside a few weeks ago and yesterday I began putting in my trellises. This is hard work for a soon to be 50 year old guy but worth it. I got my "lay-out" posts put in yesterday and hope to finish the rest today (weather permitting) I also spread chicken poop over the area to be planted as per our ag. extension service soil analysis. When all is done I will be planting 40 Marquette grape vines in April. I will take pictures and post upon completion of trellis posts so you can see my progress.

 

[PolishWineP]

Way to go!

Working in the soil in December is an odd notion for me! We like to cover ours up with snow for a few months.

 

[grapeman]

Before you know it, it will be planting time-and then the fun begins. Keep us up to date as you progress along. Don't go too heavily with the chicken manure- it can be high in nitrogen and encourage too much vegetative growth. Some=Good ..... Too Much= NOT GOOD.
Do you plan on grow tubes like Blue-X or not? There are good points and bad points to them.

 

[bilbo-in-maine]

Hi Mike,
Congratulations on taking such an adventuresome step. As you said, it is a lot of work and a lot of responsibility for proper care and upkeep. I have about 48 vines (unless Rich finds himself with around 10 Noiret cuttings he's going to discard in a month or two;-)) and they take quite a bit of attention (well, lets just say that I choose to give them a lot of attention...) I have about 11 years on you, so you can do it.

Do yourself a favor and start to build a compost pile. Rich mentioned the high nitrogen that chicken dressing can give if it is too new, but aged compost containing animal manures, leaves, grasses, vineyard clippings and any good vegetative organic material is just the thing to apply to your vines in lieu of commercial fertilizers, or as an adjunct - depends on your soil, and what your extension guy says.

You mentioned you are planting a hillside. I'll bet you've done your research on recommended row direction and are running with the contours just to minimize erosion. It is always enjoyable to see other peoples' photos, and I look forward to seeing yours. Have fun!
Bill

 

[Wade E]

Cant wait to see pics of vines growing next year and then in 2 or 3 years you reaping the rewards.

 

[Motomike]

Thanks for all of the support. To answer a few questions, first off, there is little or now snow in the Ohio Valley where I am located so that is not an issue, it was 52 degrees yesterday! I spread the chicken manure pretty thin but the ag. guy said that if I did it now it should dissipate and provide good nutrition by planting time (April) I have been reading about the Blue-X tubes and had planned on using them but would welcome any input regarding them. Thanks for the compost idea, we always have "stuff" that normally gets tossed so I will use that to start the compost. I did run my rows along the contours of the hillside, but during a trip to Italy I noticed that most of the vineyards we saw ran their rows up and down the hillside (made no sense to my wife and I at all)

 

[grapeman]

The Blue-X tubes help protect the small vines as they begin growth. They also raise the temps a little so growth is more vigorous. It makes training easier at the beginning of growth.They also protect the vine if you want to spray Roundup between vines to help weed and grass control. Remove the tubes before the hottest part of summer and certainly before autumn to allow the vines to harden before winter. In my opinion, the downside of using them is a more spindly growth. The vines are so small that they must be pruned back to almost the ground the following spring because the vine is not thick enough. That isn't necessarily bad though since the vines will grow very fast the second year and make up for the pruning and it is still possible to get them trained to the wires.


As far as the vines going up and down a hill, from a soil conservation standpoint, it is a nightmare. They do it to provide better air movement and help control diseases. As the air warms and cools during the day, the air flows up and downhill, helping to dry the vines out and preventing disease buildups. I guess you need to decide how steep the hill is and make a decision. Also consider N/S vs E/W orientation for sun exposure.

 

[Motomike]

Thanks, I think I will use the Blue-X tubes. Another issue I have is rabbits, raccoons and deer I assume the tubes will also protect the vines from getting nibbled upon when they are young. I will erect deer fencing before the vines bear any fruit but do I have to worry abouth the deer eating the vines and leaves prior to fruit?







Makes sense about the air movement on running up and down the hills. My hills are fairly steep and I am running with the contours. I am limited by topography to running rows northeast to southwest and northwest to southeast as my hillside comes to a "point" facing due south.

 

[bovinewines]

Deer will eat anything....<laughing>
If you're going to put up a deer fence you may want to consider electrifying it. Just remember to disconnect it before you go into the vineyard!

...not that I have ever done that....lol

 

[bilbo-in-maine]

Results of an Iowa State research study included a look at grow tubes -
see pp. 14-15;

See this site:

The site takes a few seconds to load.

My preference was for root growth the first year if. I don't have an herbicide problem and the deer, although abundant, don't seem to come into the vineyard. It may be the smelly soap I hang each spring on the wires - I'd like to think so, anyway

Edited by: bilbo-in-maine

 

[grapeman]

I agree with Bill about the tubes. Overall I favor not using them if you can keep the weeds and grass under controll-and with only 40 vines I don't see that as a problem. The overall root structure is greater without the tubes and I believe that is better than longer stringy growth. The bars of soap really do work with deer. When I plant young apples I hang 3 or 4 bars in their wrappers by a paper clip in each tree. The deer don't bother them then.

 

[Motomike]

I have read about hanging soap as a deer repellent. I did look at the grow tube information and it seems to support not using them. What about rabbits eating the young vines? I could potentially make a chicken wire "cage" to keep them out or are they a problem at all. Another thought I had regarding the deer is to whack them with a paint-ball gun a few times. It has workedto keep stray dogs out of my yard. The thought of technicolor deer roaming the woods is kind of cool.

 

[grapeman]

The wire cages work good to help keep rabbits and even deer away until they get started. I actually had to sit and watch deer eating on the young vines this fall because there is no doe season here except for 1 week of muzzleloading. As long as they don't go to excess, it only helps keep the vines clipped back a bit

Believe me if the deer get too thick, I will thin them back out. I watched three of them out there yesterday at 1:30-12:00 until lunchtime.

 

[OilnH2O]

Motomike,
I thought the Blue-x tubes did a good job for allowing my vines to start -- I had a few new vines nipped by squirrels at first (before the tubes) then nipped by deer as the vines made their way out of the top of the tubes. I was pleased with them, and can't really say one way or another whether the "spindly growth" would have made much difference, given our shorter growing season here.

Glad you are trying this out and wish you the best

-- I was in Edmonson County for a few years and ended up with a Hart County girl and Barren County boy (our girl didn't quite make it to the Glasgow hospital before she decided it was TIME!). But at least we all know how to stand and sing on the First Saturday in May!

 

[Motomike]

THE SUN SHINES BRIGHT ON OUR OLD KENTUCKY HOMES Wherever they may be located. I am a multi-year Derby veteran but now only go to the Oaks This year I plan to celebrate Derby Day standing in my new vineyard drinking some of my home made cabernet.

 

[BonnieJoy]

Here Here

 

[OilnH2O]

Welllll... WE might have something else FIRST! But, we might have it down below, in our little patch of vines!



(This was last year -- my D's merely holding my cup for the picture!)