more questions

[jekern1015]

I ordered my vines today and they will be here towards the end of April. Do you build the trelis before you plant the vines or wait until they are planted. I was going to use 4x4 pressure treated post and cement them in the ground. Can I plant all 4 vines on one stretch or do I need to add another post. These will be growing in my backyard and I have 2 spots picked out. Will my vines do better with morning sun and some shade in the afternoon or just the opposite with shade in the morning and afternoon sun during the heat of the day. Last question for now refers to watering. Would it be better to raise my sprinklers up and have a rain type of system, leave the sprinklers on the ground or run a few soaker hoses down the rows. Thanks for all the help.

 

[blumentopferde]

- I'd build the trellis before planting. So it is much easier to keepp the plants in line.
- I would never combine wood and cement. Ok, it's not worse than putting wood into earth, but you will have big trouble replacing the piles, and you will have to replace them sooner or later.
- 4 vines in one stretch is just perfect.
- Which side is better is hard to say. One experienced winemaker once told me he'd always prefer east over west, as grapes will dry in the morning and are less prone to funghal diseases. West is warmer though, so most books recommend a south-west-orientation. I think it depends on the variety and the climate. Viniferas could be better on the east, more hardy varieties probably won't mind a western orientation.
- Never ever get your vines wet! That is how funghal diseases develop! have it on the ground, underground or halfway up the stems (so you can work the ground without destroying your irrigation system )

 

[jekern1015]

Istead of wood should I go with a chain link fence post or is there something else that would be better for the trellis.

 

[TicinoVintner]

I use concrete posts. PT wood is great for foundations but should never go anywhere near anything that grows. Do you like the idea of drip feeding arsenic (among many other chemicals) to your vines? Metal posts or thick log poles will last quite a long times. Got a chain saw?

P.s I would put the trellis in before the vines. It's easier and you don't have to worry about disturbing the roots.

 

[TicinoVintner]

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- Never ever get your vines wet!

looks like I'm going to have to buy a whole lot of umbrellas.


Sent from my iPhone using Wine Making

 

[blumentopferde]

Istead of wood should I go with a chain link fence post or is there something else that would be better for the trellis.

Black locust is a very durable wood. I use it for my trellis. There are also readymade steel trellis systems, which are much lighter than concrete posts and save you a lot of work!

looks like I'm going to have to buy a whole lot of umbrellas.

Ok let's say: Never get them wet on purpose - if it is not for spraying. Vines like it dry! Still I'd love to see an umbrella-covered vineyard!

 

[sour_grapes]

I use concrete posts. PT wood is great for foundations but should never go anywhere near anything that grows. Do you like the idea of drip feeding arsenic (among many other chemicals) to your vines?

Except for a narrow set of industrial products, arsenic is no longer used in pressure-treated wood in the US.