Forum Replies Created
Gerard van SteynSome of the main nurseries in California are as follows, and most have their vine availability available on their websites. I was searching for vines last year, and several nurseries had Torrontes, and other less common varieties, such as Touriga National, which I included in my new vineyard planting.
Duarte Nursery
Sunridge Nurseries
Knights Nursery
Wonderful Nursery
Nova Vine Nursery
Guillaume Nursery
Gerard van SteynHi, the book, The Organic Backyard Vineyard, by Tom Powers, has an illustrated guide for self installed vineyard installation that is easy to follow..
Gerard van SteynMost soils have a deficiency of major minerals, such as sulfur, phosphorus, potassium (also calcium and magnesium, but these two are typically on a teetertotter so one may be excess while the other is deficit) and/or minor minerals such as zinc, boron, manganese, iron, sodium and copper. What’s interesting to me, at least, is that a different subset of soil microbes feeds on each of these minerals, and makes them plant available.
For a zinc deficiency, you could spray a foliar zinc/mineral compound on the leaves prior to bloom.. its a direct solution, and something you may want to do this year. Longer term, if you add zinc to your soils you will get the greater advantage of zinc converted by soil bacteria into a much more plant usable form. Recommended application rate for low zinc is 14 pounds per acre. Zinc sulfate is 35% zinc, so that works out to 40 lbs of zinc sulfate per acre. (I’m no till, so I broadcast minerals on top of the soils and wait for fungal tubes to pull them into the soil.. if you till, just till it into the top soil)
Gerard van SteynHi Chris,
Welcome!
Exciting vineyard plans. A few suggestions:
If not already, advise soil testing… to guide you with Ph of soils, minerals, etc and any amendments you may want to do before planting.
Check out the soil web mapping.. its generally accurate and can help get an idea not only on soils, but depths: https://casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/gmap/
Vine spacing: 5 by 3 is generally too compact and will result in more mildew issues and potentially excess vigor, particularly if your soils are relatively deep or fertile. 7 by 5 could be better. Rootstock will be a key factor into your decision on spacing.
If you are planning on planting this year, you can still order duarte uber or magnum vines, until approximately mid march.
Row orientation: the best for shedding heat is southeast to northwest, but depending on your slope, its better to have each row nearly horizontal, instead of going up or down slope.. particularly if you plan on cane pruning, which I advise.
VSP is the most common trellis system in this area.
Irrigation: drip emitters are most common. The soil water plume for each emitter is at max only around 18 inches wide, so having emitters spaced every 18 inches is ideal… but when starting vines, the emitters ideally are located right next to the vines.
Overall guidance: One of my favorite general books on planting and maintaining a vineyard is The Organic Backyard Vineyard by Tom Powers (or Vineyard Simple if your not interested in organic options).
I’m happy to advise on other things.. just email me if you have questions gerardvs1@gmail.com
Gerard van SteynI find these gopher traps and the digging tool to work really well for gophers. The key to trapping the gophers is to place them properly:
The first key is only set traps in very fresh gopher holes/mounds. See the examples from the link below. Then dig out with the digging tool to open the gopher hole just enough so that the trap slides fully in the gopher hole, with the release trigger able to move freely, not hitting the sides of the hole and barely on the edge of release, so that even a slight bump by the gopher releases the trap. With a fresh gopher mound and properly set trap, I have a nearly 100% catch rate, and no gophers on our property any more.
Moles are harder for me to trap, but I don’t trap them too often, because they don’t eat roots. There’s lots of good info on this website, and your traps and digging tool should come with printed instructions as well.
http://www.thegopherguy.com/pages/freshgopher.html#gopherfreshact
http://www.thegopherguy.com/index.html
Gerard van SteynNew research from UC Davis on optimum row orientation for grapes to best tolerate heat waves is Northeast to Southwest at 45 degrees. (this is presented at 5.50 minutes). There is also a lot of information in this video about shade nets, trunk disease, phenols in winemaking, etc.
Gerard van SteynCover crops, and “weeds” in general are all beneficial for improving soil health, feeding the soil microbiome, that is crucial for healthy plants and vines and adding organic matter and potentially nitrogen as well. Weed killers, on the other hand, destroy soil health and the soil microbiome. (couldn’t stop from adding that) Cover crops do involve a bit more work, since they need to periodically be mowed or trimmed.
LeBallisters sells many different cover crop seeds. This mix, which is also available in an organic version for only a few dollars more, works well in our area and should reseed itself annually.
The best time to seed a cover crop is just before the very first soaking rain of the season. If seeds are put out too early before the rains, the birds will thank you, as they will eat most of them. If it has already rained enough to make the soils wet, and weed seeds have already sprouted, your cover crop seeds will generally be too far behind to catch up. But late is still better than never!
Gerard van SteynCover crops, and “weeds” in general are all beneficial for improving soil health, feeding the soil microbiome, that is crucial for healthy plants and vines and adding organic matter and potentially nitrogen as well. Weed killers, on the other hand, destroy soil health and the soil microbiome. (couldn’t stop from adding that) Cover crops do involve a bit more work, since they need to periodically be mowed or trimmed.
LeBallisters sells many different cover crop seeds. This mix, which is also available in an organic version for only a few dollars more, works well in our area and should reseed itself annually.
The best time to seed a cover crop is just before the very first soaking rain of the season. If seeds are put out too early before the rains, the birds will thank you, as they will eat most of them. If it has already rained enough to make the soils wet, and weed seeds have already sprouted, your cover crop seeds will generally be too far behind to catch up. But late is still better than never!
Gerard van SteynAnswer to Peter Clark:
Depending on your vine spacing, you may be better off training the vines adjoining your empty spaces to grow into the empty spaces. Many of the vineyards in LWGA were planted on very close spacing (like mine at 3ft by 5ft) and the vines arguably will have better balance of vigor if every other vine was taken out, so the vines grew on a 6ft by 5ft spacing. I’m experimenting a bit with that now, even though its very hard for me to pull vines. And if you do fill in the spaces, you could still get Cab Franc production much earlier and less cost by grafting over some of your Merlot (or Cab). If interested reach out, and I would be happy to stop by and discuss.
Gerard van SteynUnless there is an issue with the rootstock, vineyard spacing or layout, you may want to consider grafting new varieties onto your existing rootstock. Grafting is less expensive than replanting, and you will have fruit 2 or 3 years earlier. I grafted some Cabernet over to Malbec a couple of years ago since I wanted a bit more Malbec, and it worked out great.
