Peaches Vineyard

[grapeman]

You can use either of them, but I like the round wooden posts when available at a decent price. Tractor Supply or similar will get them in soon if they don't have them yet for the spring. Lowes or Home Depot probably would have them also. Use 4-6 inch for line posts and six inch or larger for end posts.


I like that saying also but around here it is March that if it comes in like a lion goes out like a lamb. That still has to arrive and leave...........

 

[peaches9324]

lol

but you get the just of it.. winter-out like a lion spring-in like a lamb. And it's been known to snow here in late april too! I'm just so darn impatient! and thanks for your input

 

[peaches9324]

my pear wine was a big hit with family and friends! Only have about 5 btles left 4 after I give one to my sis this afternoon. And I wanted it to age a lil longer in the btle too lol I'm gonna make a big batch of it this year and have to take orders for it! havemy vines ordered for this spring planting too

so excited! And THANKS to all who helped with the making of my pear wine! And I'm sure I'll have more questions once I get my vines

 

[peaches9324]

I have ordered my red grape vines the beginning of this month and am looking to order some white grape vines but the vines I want to order (brianna vines) are highly susceptible to crown gall and I've been looking into this desease and found that applying potash instead of nitrogen fertilizer is recomended. And have read that copper compounds help downy mildew and may help crown gall as well. My queston is - is there an all in one fertilizer with the copper compounds or is this already included in the potash? I didn't want to over fertilize and burnmy lil babies.
thanks

 

[grapeman]

Chances are you have adequate levels of copper in the soil already but only a soil test would say for sure. You need to know how much of each to apply and only apply that much. Something like copper is best applied as a foliar feed since it is a micronutrient. Some of the miracle gro products contain copper and another useful one-zinc, so that would be easy and quick to apply when wanted and needed. Remember just because a little is good- a lot isNOT better.

 

[peaches9324]

I'm gonna order a 4 in one soil analyser also but I had just wondered. As I'm reading I think of these questons to ask the forum.

So far in all my plantings I have done here, which include nut trees, shrubs, flowers, a few blck berryand vegesI've used the miracle grow or just a 1/4 handful of lime and they have been flourishing. Like I said I just don't wanna burn the new babies and plan to test the soil befor they go in thanks again appleman! I don't know how you find the time to answer these questons b/t your job and vineyard but I'm sure glad you do

 

[peaches9324]

Well I found a website to help answer your questions and get you started.


http://www.ohiowines.org/


Since I am Minnesota I can't say what grows wellwhere you are. However, you probably can't grow Cab Sauv. because info points to Zone 7. Cab Franc is listed under zone 6, which is the far southern part of the state and along Lake Erie. The rest ofthe state falls under Zone 5.


Here is a link to Iowa State Univeristy and varieties they have done testing on.


http://viticulture.hort.iastate.edu/cultivars/cultivars.html


If I would suggest a variety - it might be Norton/Cynthia grape. At one time it was called, The Cabernet of America. Or some of the new grapes from the Geneva research facility - like Coiret Noir or Traimentte (sp?) or even some of the varieties from the University of Minnesota - LaCresent, Marquette, Frontenac Gris or Frontenac (this one ripens better in zone 5w/ lower acidity) then in zone 4.


I have placed a link to 2 differentUSDA Hardiness Zone Maps. They differ a bit, but not to much.


http://www.growit.com/bin/USDAZoneMaps.exe?MyState=OH


http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html


I would recommend contacting a few of the local wineries by phone and ask them some questions, or better yet call them and ask if they can spare some time to meet w/ you at their vineyard and show you around. Then you can see what they are growing and ask them what grows well and what seems to cause them headache.


I hope this helps you out.

do you know of any nursery I might purchase norton/cynthia from?

 

[grapeman]

Double A Vineyards carries them, but are listed as sold out. You could call them if you can't find (listed under Cynthia at Double A) and ask if they might have a few or b put on a list for next year.


As far as posts and trellis, you can use the wood your nephew brought you. Some untreated wood is alright to us. Are you sure it is pine? Most pines aren't real long lasting. What I have is White Cedar-which is naturally rot resistant without treating. There are some new treatments I haven't used so I can't speak for them. Some soak in motor oil, but I don't like that idea. Plain old cedar has been used for centuries to make cattle fences and last 20-30 years around here as long as it is a fairly big post.


I find stapling to the post with fencing staples works best as it can be moved or the post replaced easily if need be. When I first put some in, I drilled through the post like you say and regret it to this day. I can't move the wires wiothout pulling that whole row through the posts and totally redoing.


To keep the wires tight, use gripples to fasten the wires at the ends (hook the wire through the eye of the anchor and pass back through the gripple. I believe they have videos of the process if you need. You will also need some type of earth anchor for the ends of the rows. When they are all hooked up, you can tighten the wires using the gripple tensioning tool. Have fun.


Here is a link to Gripple's video library
http://www.gripple.com/library/?tag=Agricultural&q=Agricultural


If you don't have the wires up before then, our local growers association will be videoing the process at an upcoming future meeting- but you will probably be done by then. To help someone like you is the reason we are doing the series of videos we are. This weekend we are doing one on different types of pruning.

 

[peaches9324]

oh I intend on using the gripples but I thought the staples wouldn't give leeway to tighten the wire

but it all depends on how tight the staples are in is this correct? I haven't checked out that link you sent me as of yet but I do intend on doing so as soon as I send this. And I phoned josh and he says that wood is black locustI thought he said they were pine the other day.So I think I'm pretty much set. I was looking at copper coat green wood preservative. I might purchase that or do ya think it would be a waist of my money? I was reading about black locust and it is pretty sound wood untreated. Would there be any downfall me treating the black locust? and again thank you appleman

 

[grapeman]

That is super news! You can't beat black locust. Here in my sand I have posts that have been in the ground since the 1890's- not 1990's! They are harder than a rock though so you may have a bit of a time with fence staples. You can buy these instead and the wire clips into them. They attach with nails which will bend less in the locust.



http://www.orchardvalleysupply.com/ovsstore/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=17

 

[peaches9324]

thats great news cuz I had already intended to buy some of my supplies from that site! thanks again! I sure do appreciate it! So josh was right when he said it would out last me!

 

[grapeman]

thats great news cuz I had already intended to buy some of my supplies from that site! thanks again! I sure do appreciate it! So josh was right when he said it would out last me!

Unless you set a new worlds record for the oldest living person- they will probably outlast you and me. I tried to get the logger to cut me some locust while he was cutting the cedar- there was a stand right there where he had made the landing! He probably figured the cedar is easier to cut.

 

[peaches9324]

That is super news! You can't beat black locust. Here in my sand I have posts that have been in the ground since the 1890's- not 1990's! They are harder than a rock though so you may have a bit of a time with fence staples. You can buy these instead and the wire clips into them. They attach with nails which will bend less in the locust.



http://www.orchardvalleysupply.com/ovsstore/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=17

funny thing is josh now says he wants to drill hole in post for the wire after I showed him the nails I baught.. is this at all possible being black locust? And am wondering if I baught the correct wire..12.5 gage brace wire?

thanks alot

 

[grapeman]

It is called 12.5 guage high tensile wire. Brace wire is usually soft and stretches. Where did you buy it and are you sure it is brace wire? It can be used, but you will have to tighten and loosen it every year. The high tensile stretches just a little so you leave it that way over winter and then just tighten a bit next spring.


I really wouldn't drill them. If you use the twist nails with the black plastic things I linked above it will work good for most locations. You can staple the main wires to the posts and use the others for the catch wires. You can also use the plastic things for all but the top wire. Run that over the top of the post to make over the top bird netting go on easier.

 

[peaches9324]

yea I bought 12.5 guage brace wire at TSC. And I had the black thingys with the nails as in the link above. And josh told me to take them back cuz he planned on drilling. And tsc said they didn't have the 12.5 gauge high tensil wire. But I just phoned them and they said that they do have it in now.Josh was conserned about the plastic dry rotting. I'm going to take the brace wire back and get the high tensil wire, the black thingys and nails!
thanks again appleman

 

[peaches9324]

Double A Vineyards carries them, but are listed as sold out. You could call them if you can't find (listed under Cynthia at Double A) and ask if they might have a few or b put on a list for next year.


As far as posts and trellis, you can use the wood your nephew brought you. Some untreated wood is alright to us. Are you sure it is pine? Most pines aren't real long lasting. What I have is White Cedar-which is naturally rot resistant without treating. There are some new treatments I haven't used so I can't speak for them. Some soak in motor oil, but I don't like that idea. Plain old cedar has been used for centuries to make cattle fences and last 20-30 years around here as long as it is a fairly big post.


I find stapling to the post with fencing staples works best as it can be moved or the post replaced easily if need be. When I first put some in, I drilled through the post like you say and regret it to this day. I can't move the wires wiothout pulling that whole row through the posts and totally redoing.


To keep the wires tight, use gripples to fasten the wires at the ends (hook the wire through the eye of the anchor and pass back through the gripple. I believe they have videos of the process if you need. You will also need some type of earth anchor for the ends of the rows. When they are all hooked up, you can tighten the wires using the gripple tensioning tool. Have fun.


Here is a link to Gripple's video library
http://www.gripple.com/library/?tag=Agricultural&q=Agricultural


If you don't have the wires up before then, our local growers association will be videoing the process at an upcoming future meeting- but you will probably be done by then. To help someone like you is the reason we are doing the series of videos we are. This weekend we are doing one on different types of pruning.

hey appleman can you please give me the link to the local growers association? I would like to check out the different types of pruning also
thanks!

 

[grapeman]

To get to the site, go to my website and click the LCW Forum tab or LCW tab, those are where we will be placing them. This is all volunteer member work and hasn't been placed on those sites yet. I will let you know when we get them there though. You did sign up to the forum and I approved you so you can get in there.

 

[peaches9324]

thanks appleman and I have checked it out quicklywhen you approved me,what a beautiful site it is! If only I lived closer I would be sure to visit some of your events.