Vineyard Line Posts

[havlikn]

Vineyard details

12 rows, about 200 ft long

I am to my witts end looking at recommendations for vineyard line posts. My three main options are steel, cedar or treated. Cedar and treated would be 4" round 8' long, sunk 2 ft. I am using a TWC two cordon system.

I have access to an auger so that isn't a problem.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[GreginND]

After having just finished building my trellis I can say it was a whole lot more work than I thought it would be.

I used 10' treated posts sunk 4' in the ground. 3" posts for the inner lines - 5" posts for the ends and 4" posts for the H-brace support post.

I augured the holes with a 9" auger. The worst part was backfilling and tamping the dirt by hand. It took me 5 hours a day for a week to finish 183 posts.

I would recommend instead of drilling and backfilling, you should get a pole driver and pound them directly into the ground. It will be so much easier.

Steel posts are probably easier to set than wood and will work fine. You could use wood on the end posts only. Your options are to build H-braces or angle the end posts and wire them to earth anchors. I went with H-braces because 1) it looks nice and 2) I have limited space around the ends of my rows and wouldn't be able to get my tractor through.

You can also angle an end steel post but the trellises I've seen have do not appear to be strong enough with steel end posts and they tip.

Cedar would be more natural but definitely more expensive. I was able to find 10' treated posts for $5-$11 for the various sizes.

 

[dwhill40]

Don't use landscape timbers even if they are treated. You need to buy ample posts treated for agricultural use. I've replaced 4 posts already in year two. One thing I didn't realize was the size of the wall the vines create. In Bama a 70 mph gust from thunderstorms is not unusual. That and two damp summers and the posts are rotten and breaking off at the ground. Lesson learned #492.

 

[grapeman]

If using cedar, use larger posts so they last longer. Many of ours are 6-8 inches at the top and the ends larger. You pay a bit more at the front end but they last longer and don't need replacing any time soon. Unless you get steel specifically made for a vineyard, they just aren't really strong enough.

 

[Chuck-crisler]

I have used standard issue PT 4x4's. I put my first in more than 15 years ago and they are still going strong. I expanded my vineyard and put in some more recently, 2 have failed. One due to an Oak tree in a bad ice storm (not the post's fault), the other simply rotted. Now I paint the part that is to be sunken with roofing cement. My rows are 100'. I have dug every single one, which is really tough in New Hampshire (the granite state - not sure if it refers to my head or the soil). I have seen a presentation of a pile driver and it is *AWESOME*. It only took about 2-3 minutes to drive the stakes 2-3 feet into the ground. It used a small Honda GX-270 engine that will run all day on 1-2 gallons of gas. That is definitely the way to go.

 

[ThePlantGuy978]

Landscape timbers,NO!!!

Don't use landscape timbers even if they are treated. You need to buy ample posts treated for agricultural use. I've replaced 4 posts already in year two. One thing I didn't realize was the size of the wall the vines create. In Bama a 70 mph gust from thunderstorms is not unusual. That and two damp summers and the posts are rotten and breaking off at the ground. Lesson learned #492.

Many years ago I used landscape timbers, BIG MISTAKE!! They rotted away in less than 2 years.