FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) - Grapevines
|
Index Of Topics (Please scroll down)
1) Grading Standards
2) Understanding Grading Designations
3) Get the Right Size Grapevine
4) Handling and Storage of Grapevines
5) Preparing Your Vineyard
6) Techniques For Successful Planting
7) Posts Wires and Trellising
8) Caring For Your Grapevines
9) Training Your Grapevines
10) Winter Protection
11) Hardiness Comparisons of Specific Varieties
|
1) What grading standard does Foster use?
Foster uses the American Nursery and Landscape Association standards as their minimum grading standards. Even though grade designations are the same from nursery to nursery, the size and quality of a vine supplied by some nurseries under a given grade designation may vary greatly. Foster has maintained superior grading standards since 1919. We do not vary our grading standards from year to year based on availability or crop success.
|
2) What do the grading designations mean?
2-1
Are two year old vines which have been grown in our nursery for two years. They are exceptionally large plants with at least 12-18'' of top growth and a proportional root system with root length varying from 12-20''.
1-X
Are extra heavy one year old vines of the same size as a 2-1. these are the exceptionally huge one year old vines. Only a small number are obtained each year.
1-1
Are average one year old vines. these are big healthy, vigorous plants perfect for vineyard planting. top growth is at least 6-11'' with a proportional root system with root length varying from 8-16''.
1-M
Are medium size one year old vines. These are well rooted plants with at least 3-6'' of top growth and a proportional root system with root length varying from 6-14''.
|
3) What is the right size grapevine for my vineyard?
The larger the vine you purchase the faster more vigorous growth you will get. A 1-X will accelerate the maturity of your vineyard. A 1-M may take longer to mature but will provide you with the same quality vine.
|
4) What is the best method for handling and storage of grapevines?
ABOVE ALL ELSE, AVOID EXPOSING YOUR GRAPEVINES TO HEAT, FREEZING OR DRYING. ANY OF THESE CONDITIONS CAN KILL YOUR VINES. Your grapevines will have been very carefully packed and sealed in plastic inside specially designed freight boxes to assure that they are well protected against damage and loss of moisture. This triple insulation procedure also buffers the vines against extremes of heat and cold that they could possible encounter in transit. As soon as your vines arrive you should open the boxes and examine your vines. Any discrepancy in count or variety, or any concern you may have should be reported to us at once.
IF YOU ANTICIPATE PLANTING WITHIN A WEEK of delivery your vines will keep best if you replace them into the box exactly as you received them. Place he boxes in as cool and moist a place as you can find. A cooler or a dirt floored basement are good for this purpose. Never place vines directly on a concrete floor as the concrete will quickly wick the moisture out of the vines. If you must store vines in a room with a concrete floor, first insulate the vines from the floor with plastic or several inches of some wet material such as pea moss or sand.
IF YOU WILL BE STORING YOUR VINES LONGER THAN A WEEK, reopen the boxes after a week and thoroughly water the roots. Then close the boxes again.
FOR STORAGE LONGER THAN TWO WEEKS, you should consider ''heeling in'' your vines. Dig a trench 10-12'' deep. Break open the bundles and spread the vines out in the trench. The vines should be laid vertically in the trench, just as if you were planting them, and covered with 9 inches of soil. The roots should be completely covered with soil but the canes should be exposed to the air. Refill the trench with soil and pack the soil well, so no air pockets remain. Make sure you keep the soil moist at all times.
|
5) How do I prepare my vineyard?
THE VITICULTURE DEPARTMENT OF YOUR STATE UNIVERSITY'S AGRICULTURE SCHOOL AND YOUR LOCAL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OFFICE OR YOUR PROCESSOR FIELD REPRESENTATIVE ARE EXCELLENT SOURCES OF HELP AND INFORMATION.
SITE SELECTION
Deep, well drained, sandy loam soils are preferred by vineyards will thrive even on clay soils as long as they are well drained, either naturally or with the aid of artificial drainage. Grapevines do not tolerate ''wet feet''.
The vineyard site should have good air drainage and if the land slopes, the rows should be planted across the slope to prevent erosion. On flat sites, a North-South row direction is slightly superior in yield to an East-West direction.
SITE PREPARATION
Ideally site preparation should start a year before planting the vines, or at least the preceding fall. If soil depth permits, soil should be plowed 12'' deep and tilled to a smooth surface. In addition, a subsoiler drawn down the proposed rows, especially in shallow soils or soils with a hardpan, will greatly facilitate drainage and root penetration.
A soil test should be taken the preceding summer and any inherent deficiencies corrected before the vineyard is planted. Your County field representative or processor field man can be of great help in both correctly securing the test(s) and in correctly analyzing the results. Besure anyone who interprets your tests knows that you are planting a vineyard, and is familiar with vineyard nutrition requirements.
|
6) How do I successfully plant my grapevines?
TIME OF PLANTING
Spring planting should be done just as early as time and weather permit. In short northern summers a month's delay in planting can mean a year's difference in growth. It is usually not advisable to wait until the last danger of frost is over as this delays planting too much. You can plant your vines as soon as you can work your soil, normally 2-3 weeks before your last frost date.
SPACING
Vigorous varieties planted on deep, well drained soils are usually planted in 9 foot rows, with 8 feet between vines in the row. On poorer soils and/or with less vigorous varieties vine spacing can be narrowed. The table below shows the number of vines required per acre for various spacings:
7' Spacing Between Rows with
__5' Between Vines: 1245 Vines/Acre
__6' Between Vines: 1037
__7' Between Vines: 889
__8' Between Vines: 778
__9' Between Vines: 691
8' Spacing Between Rows with
__5' Between Vines: 1089 Vines/Acre
__6' Between Vines: 908
__7' Between Vines: 778
__8' Between Vines: 681
__9' Between Vines: 605
9' Spacing Between Rows with
__5' Between Vines: 968 Vines/Acre
__6' Between Vines: 807
__7' Between Vines: 691
__8' Between Vines: 605
__9' Between Vines: 538
10' Spacing Between Rows with
___5' Between Vines: 871 Vines/Acre
___6' Between Vines: 726
___7' Between Vines: 622
___8' Between Vines: 545
___9' Between Vines: 484
HANDLING THE VINES
It is extremely important that the vines do not dry out during the planting process. Fifteen minutes exposure of the roots to sun, air and wind is enough to kill the vines. Keeping roots immersed in water while in the field is the best way to assure the survival of the vines. Five gallon plastic pails are ideal for this. However, you should not leave the roots immersed in water for more than 12 hours at a time, as roots cannot respire well when immersed in water.
We recommend that you DO NOT PRUNE roots or tops any more than is necessary to expedite planting. Stored within the root system are the carbohydrates which will allow the vines to make vigorous early growth. The more roots you prune off the less carbohydrate there will be available to the plant. Do not prune the tops until after the last danger of spring frost is over. Then prune to the two or three best new shoots or buds.
PLANTING
Vines can be planted with a shovel, a post hole auger, a plow, or a vineyard transplanter. Do not dig holes or furrows so much ahead of time that the soil which will contact the roots dries out.
If you plan to use a post hole auger, we recommend you use an auger diameter of at least 12 inches. Do not use a post hole auger in wet soils with a high clay content. The auger can create a ''clay pot'' effect on the sides of the hole that the roots cannot penetrate.
The soil opening should be approximately 10-12'' deep. The hole must be deep and wide enough so that the roots can be spread out. The vine should be planted to that the soil surface will be a the ''crown'', the point where the new cane grows from the cutting. Grafted vines should be planted so that the graft union is 3-4'' above the soil surface. If the scion contacts the soil it will root and then reject the rootstock.
Soil must be well compacted around the vines to eliminate air pockets and to reestablish capillarity of the soil for water movement. We recommend that you thoroughly water each plant as soon as possible after you plant it.
Irrigation can be a valuable asset in establishing a new planting and a real ally in the promotion of vigorous growth and high yields, and in spring frost control.
|
7) What do I need to know about posts, wire and trellising?
ESTABLISHING THE TRELLIS
Establishing the trellis, (posts, wires and row end supports) can be started as soon as the vines are planted or be delayed as long as the spring of the year after planting. The immediate establishment of the trellis allows the vines to be trained onto the trellis the first summer, thus reducing disease problems and increasing light exposure and vine maturity by raising the vines off the vineyard floor. Delaying installation, on the other hand delays the outlay of capital for posts, wire, and labor.
Posts are established at each end of every row and between every third plant in the row. An acre of vineyard planted 9' by 8' will require about 200 posts per acre. Posts can be driven or set into the ground. For driving, a sharpened post is required and is usually driven with a tractor mounted post driving machine. Set posts can be sharp or blunt and are set in holes drilled with an auger. Posts should be set 30 to 36 inches deep. Most grape posts are eight feet long.
End posts need some sort of additional bracing. The most satisfactory bracing seem to be to set the end post at about a 30 degree angle out from the direction to the row. Then bury an end post anchor four feet from the base of the end post either by screwing he anchor into the ground or by digging it into the ground. After the anchor has set for at least six months, the anchor may be wired to the end post providing good support.
On most trellis systems two wires are stretched along the posts and secured to the posts by U shaped staples. The first wire is strung from 30 to 36 inches above the graound and the second wire as near the top of the post as practical. The wire is strung on the windward side of the row so that the wire and the weight of the vines is best supported by the post. Number 11 or 12 galvanized wire is recommended for the loser wire as it is longer lasting and less abrasive to the vines. A high tensile crimped galvanized wire is recommended for the top wire as its superior tensile strength allows it to be tightened once and usually never again. Variations of the two wire system, such as the Geneva Double Curtain System will require variations of the trellis system.
There are many trellising systems, including four arm and six arm Kniffin, Modified Keuka High Renewal, Hudson river Umbrella, Umbrella Kniffin and Geneva Double Curtain. Your County Agent or Processor field men can be the best sources fo information in deciding on trellis systems. The variety you plant and required cultural practices may dictate your trellising system.
|
8) How do I care for my grapevines after I plant them?
WEED CONTROL
It is extremely important that good weed control be maintained throughout the growing season. Poor weed control means poor growth, low productivity and reduced ability to withstand low winter temperatures.
FERTILIZATION
Supplemental fertiliztion in the first growing season is not recommended. Frequently growers become over zealous in fertilizer application. Even slight to moderate over-fertilization can cause excessive succulent growth which is more susceptible to disease and insect predation than normal growth. Growth will continue late into the fall and the resulting lack of cane maturity will cause increased susceptibility to winter injury. There are now available slow release formulations of fertilizer which reduce the possibility of injury from over fertilization or fertilization too close to the root system. These slow release formulations may be very useful the first year.
Fertilization in the second and subsequent years is based on the general need of grapes for nitrogen (as explained previously under 'Site Preparation' in the question about planting), and by regular soil tests and close observation of the vineyard for vigor and foliar irregularities.
|
9) How do I train my grapevines?
After pruning the young vines to the two or three best new shoots, no further vine training is necessary in the first season. However, if the trellis is to be immediately established, superior light exposure, cane maturity, and disease control can be established by loosely tying the new shoots to the bottom wire as soon as they are long enough. Some viticulturists recommend staking new vines. We feel, however, that establishing the trellis in the first season is more economical and less time consuming.
|
10) How do I protect my grapevines during the winter?
For cold protection in the first winter, vines tied to a trellis should be cut free to lie on the ground. In very cold areas and with vinifera in all areas, a mound of earth should be thrown up to the vines in late fall to protect the graft union and as much of the vine as possible. On grafted vines the hill must be removed in the spring. Failure to uncover the graft union will allow the scion variety to root, and if this happens the rootstock tends to be rejected and you end up with an own-rooted grapevine, which cancels the reason for grafting in the first place. Be careful not to injure the trunk or roots when you cover and uncover your grapevines.
|
11) Compare the hardiness of the varieties offered:
HARDINESS GUIDE:
CLASS / HARDINESS / INJURY TEMPERATURE
(1)_____Very Hardy_______-25F to -35F
(2)_____Very Hardy_______-15F to -25F
(3)_____Hardy____________-10F to -20F
(4)_____Hardy_____________-5F to -15F
(5)_____Medium Hardy______0F to -10F
(6)_____Medium Hardy_____+5F to -5F
(7)_____Non Hardy________+10F to 0F
This is a general comparison. It should be remembered that many factors affect the ability of a grapevine to withstand cold in a given year. Over cropping, nutrient deficiencies, excessive vigor, failure to control diseases and insects, growing seasons with low available sunshine, periods of extended drought and many other factors may reduce the winter hardiness of any variety.
HARDINESS COMPARISON OF VARIETIES
(Divided by class in each specific category of grapes)
AMERICAN GRAPE
-CLASS (2)
Concord
Elvira
Fredonia
St. Vincent
Sheridan
-CLASS (3)
Agawam
Catawba
Delaware
Diamond
Isabella
Niagara
-CLASS (4)
Alwood
Captivator
Cayuga White
Steuben
AMERICAN PREMIUM SEEDED
-CLASS (1)
Valiant
-CLASS (2)
Frontenac
Swenson Red
-CLASS (3)
Edelweiss
Melody
-CLASS (5)
Golden Muscat
AMERICAN PREMIUM SEEDLESS
-CLASS (2)
Canadice
Concord Seedless
-CLASS (3)
Reliance
-CLASS (4)
Einset
Mars
Saturn
Vanessa
-CLASS (5)
Himrod
Lakemont
Remaily
Romulus
Suffolk Red
Venus
-CLASS (6)
Glenora
Interlaken
VINIFERA (GRAFTED)
-CLASS (6)
Chardonnay/3303
Chardonnay/5C
J. Riesling/3309
J. Riesling/5C
-CLASS (7)
Cabernet Franc/3309
Cabernet Sauvignon/3309
Merlot/3309
Merlot/5C
Pinot Noir/3309
Pinot Noir/5C
FRENCH HYBRID
-CLASS (2)
Foch (Kuhlmann 194-2)
Rosette (S-1000)
-CLASS (3)
Aurore (S-5279)
Chancellor (S-7053)
DeChaunac (S-9549)
Leon Millot (Kuhlmann 194-2)
Rougeon (S-5898)
Traminette
-CLASS (4)
Seyval Blanc (SV-5276)
Vidal Blanc (V-256)
Vignoles (Ravat 51)
-CLASS (5)
Baco Noir
Chambourcin (JS-26.205)
Villard Blanc (SV-12.375)
Villard Noir (SV-18.315)
|
|
