New Maryland Vineyard

[Dustyfj]

Should I be concerned about grubs in the soil? I noticed a few when planting this year.
When I went to replace a vine that seemed to be dead the roots were gone. Either rotted or eaten. The vine was woody and dry. Definitely dead.
I don’t have final numbers yet but I may have lost 3-5% of the vines over the winter.

 

[VinesnBines]

The grubs are probably Japanese Beetle larva. Just a few may not be a problem.

I've been lucky that I haven't lost many vines; the only loss was in 2020 when we had the multiple killing frosts and freezes in late April and early May. A couple vines didn't recover and a few were set back a year - or three. I have mostly hybrids but by the same token, I haven't lost any of my 25 vinifera vines. I had 27 vinifera but I had to kill two vines that had crown gall at the graft union. We get winter temps in the teens and single digits but the southern exposure warms the ground significantly.

 

[Dennis Griffith]

Or June bugs. I treat the soil in and around the vineyard with milky spore. It has reduced the numbers of JBs I see every year and has virtually eliminated any moles in those areas. Below is what a typical day was for me during beetle season before I got a handle on the situation.

 

[VinesnBines]

That is a lot of JB. Mine were not so bad but I found a few as late as September 30.

My skunks help with the grubs but they can't get them all.

 

[Dennis Griffith]

That is a lot of JB. Mine were not so bad but I found a few as late as September 30.

My skunks help with the grubs but they can't get them all.

I place the bags/scent bricks away from the vines so they will be drawn away from lunch with the promise of sex. The last 2 years have been much better.

 

[Dustyfj]

Lots of work setting all these posts by hand. 3/16 done.

third spray of the season yesterday for the two year old plants. First spray for the new ones.

 

[Dustyfj]

Another row of posts set. I think 11? Done at this point?

We may hold off on the wires for this year to make it easier to overplant and bring the spacing down to 4’ between plants.

 

[Dennis Griffith]

Have you lost many?

 

[Hazelemere]

Focus on what you can grow and what you like to drink. Look at Philp Wagner's books on grape growing at Boordy Vineyards Maryland. You should be able to grow:

Marechal Foch
Regent
maybe Cabernet Franc
some of the New York hybrids

Consider joining this before you plant anything:

https://marylandgrapes.org/

 

[Hazelemere]

Another row of posts set. I think 11? Done at this point?

We may hold off on the wires for this year to make it easier to overplant and bring the spacing down to 4’ between plants. View attachment 91183

 

[Hazelemere]

https://extension.umd.edu/resource/recommended-wine-grape-varieties-maryland

 

[Dustyfj]

Have you lost many?

So many. We learned a bunch of hard lessons last year. We didn’t spray at all till mid summer because they looked so healthy. Powdery mildew/downy mildew we’re everywhere by the end of the season. All the vines seemed to lose their leaves very early last year. Also we way over pruned last year, probably we didn’t need to prune at all. The deer damage was out of control too. We lost around 85 of the 275 initial vines. The 520 we planted this year all seem healthy.

I got my pesticide applicator license and joined the Maryland grape growers association. We have been trying to learn from everyone we can.

 

[VinesnBines]

So many. We learned a bunch of hard lessons last year. We didn’t spray at all till mid summer because they looked so healthy. Powdery mildew/downy mildew we’re everywhere by the end of the season. All the vines seemed to lose their leaves very early last year. Also we way over pruned last year, probably we didn’t need to prune at all. The deer damage was out of control too. We lost around 85 of the 275 initial vines. The 520 we planted this year all seem healthy.

I got my pesticide applicator license and joined the Maryland grape growers association. We have been trying to learn from everyone we can.

I was lucky my first couple years; the weather was dry. I didn’t spray much the first year and sporadically the second. I didn’t lose any vines to disease, not even the few vinifera I planted. I finally have the spray schedule worked out and a good thing because this has been a terrible year for disease. Fortunately I’ve only had some black rot, a bit of downy on the Vidal and a little powdery showing on a few leaves.

I’ve made a million more mistakes but learning as I go! Next year I have to prune better and improve my canopy management.

 

[Hazelemere]

Regent downy mildew resistance. Buy it grafted.

https://www.germanwines.de/knowledge/grape-varieties/red-grapes/regent/

 

[Hazelemere]

https://doubleavineyards.com/regent-grafted

 

[Hazelemere]

https://extension.umd.edu/resource/recommended-wine-grape-varieties-maryland

 

[Dustyfj]

Our in the vineyard counting plants for next year. I’m planning on adding a vine between each to bring the spacing down to 4’ between plants. Plus replacing the 86 plants that didn’t make it from last year. Total going in the ground next year will be 846.

Then 2024 I will get back to adding more rows and varieties.

 

[Dennis Griffith]

Our in the vineyard counting plants for next year. I’m planning on adding a vine between each to bring the spacing down to 4’ between plants. Plus replacing the 86 plants that didn’t make it from last year. Total going in the ground next year will be 846.

Then 2024 I will get back to adding more rows and varieties.
View attachment 93079

Nice bike, but be careful of the wires. Don't pull a Steve McQueen cause you could end up in the cooler .

 

[Dustyfj]

Nice bike, but be careful of the wires. Don't pull a Steve McQueen cause you could end up in the cooler .

Sure makes counting vines faster.

 

[VinesnBines]

Looking good. Do be careful; I’ve been out of commission for five weeks with a severe break-son’s motorcycle turned over while loading in the PU. I was in the bed of the PU then I was on the ground with a tibia plateau break and fibula break. Really put a damper on harvest.