Lost Dog Vineyards

[grapeman]

Wait until those things grow up a bit and then you will be amazed or even overcome with their vigor. I just got back in from a bit of a training session with some Frontenac vines in their third leaf. The books say take a few bunches in the third year....................... These things are trained VSP, are overrunning the 7 foot space allocated per vine. I'm not talking running along the wire now but forming a dense thick jungle completely filling the 7 feet a full 4 feet high. Each shoot is from 4-10 feet long with 2 or 3 bunches of grapes per shoot. I was just getting them up in the air so I can see the bunches and decide which shoots to thin out and thus reduce the potential crop to under 15-20 pounds per vine on them.


And then there are the four year old vines which are REAALLY vigorous! They kept stretching over to where I was working and trying to wrestle me into their grasp. No telling what they had in mind. I shudder to even think about that!

 

[gaudet]

The buds are swelling........... The buds are swelling............

Time to get some fertilizer soon..........

 

[AlFulchino]

buds swelling? whats that? i havent even pruned yet!

 

[grapeman]

I hear you Al. If it doesn't rain tomorrow, I thought I would go out and prune for a couple hours to start getting the grip back in my hands before I full steam into it. There is still a foot of snow in the vineyard. On the weather tonight though, they said we have gone 33 days in a row above average temperature. It is supposed to be close to 60 by the end of the week. I hope it doesn't stay that warm too long. I don't want the vines to wake up just yet!

 

[gaudet]

It's official, as of yesterday there are tiny leaves on the vines......

Also, I think I was successful in propagating a vine by air rooting it in a small pot planter. The buds seem to be still growing.

I might also try to propagate another one by cutting. Its a small branch that I need to trim anyways cause its going to compete with the main vine. Its got plenty of buds on it. Anyone with experience with muscadine propagation???

 

[gaudet]

Finally got some pictures to show......

The first one is the wide shot of all 4 of my vines in the fledgling vineyard.........

This is the carlos vine that seems to be stunted in its growth.... I am debating on cutting off all flowers/grape clusters to allow it to devote its energies to the vine. Out of all 4 vines it is only about 5-6 feet in length after the first season. The others are 12 ft +

Dixie red vine was the runt last year, but grew out to about 12 ft in its first season.

Ison #1 and #2 are kicking butt in their growth. Both vines had great growth in their first year. One made it about 15 feet and the other was close to 12 ft.....

 

[grapeman]

It is always great to see Muscadine vines growing. Other type grapes we worry about excessive vigor and do what we can to control it. With muscadines you just give them room to roam and let them grow.


Good luck with them and hope they bear great for you in the future.

 

[gaudet]

Rich,

Do you think that I should pinch back the carlos that seems to be stunted? It only grew about 5 feet last year. There was no fruit last year, but it looks to bear a few clusters this time around

 

[grapeman]

I'm no expert with those grapes, but I would at least remove the clusters this year to let the vines grow more to prepare for next year.

 

[gaudet]

I will re read the instruction manual I got from Ison's last year. Looking over it, I need to prune a little to encourage some more lateral growth.

 

[gaudet]

I was walking around the house last week and noticed something interesting. There was a muscadine vine growing in the mulch near my front entrance. About two years ago I was sorting through a batch of muscadine grape I got from a buddy of mine and I guess I dumped a bunch of seeds there. Anyways, I found another one growing along the fence line in the back yard. Pretty cool. I know they are the Carlos variety. I'm going to dig them up and pot them and try to get them to grow up a little. And find them a good home.

Its also time to fertilize the big vines and get some more pictures for this thread. One of the ison vines has almost rached the 20' mark and the end of the trellis. The other vines are doing well too.

 

[AlFulchino]

who knows....you might have an all together new variety!

 

[gaudet]

The vines have been pruned earlier this year, so there's not too much to see yet. But there are buds starting to form. I will update photos when they start to give something worthwhile. 3 of the 4 vines have done wonderfully and grown to the length of their trellis (over 20 feet). The 4th vine has only grown about 4-5 feet from the trunk, perhaps I have a bad plant or perhaps it just doesn't get enough sun as it is in a shadier spot. I may try to get another Carlos vine and see if it works. I'll give it one more season, but this vine is failing to thrive comparatively.

 

[grapeman]

I'm glad somebody's vines are trying to wake up. It gets depressing seeing mine in the snow still. But I guess that is a good thing as it is still getting to 0 at night some nights.

 

[gaudet]

Be glad to send you some of our heat and humidity Rich. Been upper 60's low 70's and nice humidity down here.

 

[toddrod]

Gaudet - I pruned all my muscadines this past week and now, with this warm weather, they are all driping sap from the cuts. My new Blackberries are breakimg buds right now. I am so excited for this years crop.

 

[OilnH2O]

Boy, howdy. I'd love to prune, but there's a winter storm warning here, supposed to be down to 7* tonight, and wind/blowing snow all day tomorrow and temps supposed to get up... all the way to 8*!

BUT, days are getting longer!

 

[gaudet]

ToddRod,

Good deal man, I pruned my vines a few weeks ago, no sap except for one or two cuts. I pass thru 3127 occasionally visiting my parents. Perhaps a wine swap is in order one day. I can meet ya at the crossroads maybe. Always good to meet a fellow addict. How long have you had your vines planted?

OilnH20,

BRRRRRRRRRRRR

 

[jnmar]

Boy, howdy. I'd love to prune, but there's a winter storm warning here, supposed to be down to 7* tonight, and wind/blowing snow all day tomorrow and temps supposed to get up... all the way to 8*!

BUT, days are getting longer!

Oh Wow...a longer day at 8 degrees!!! Sure sounds like fun to me. lol

I feel for you guys having to endure this winter up there.

 

[toddrod]

Gaudet - That sounds good. I am only 3 miles from the crossroads. I am going to be bottling my 2010 vintage as soon as my corker arrives.