Advise for Vineyard Establishment

"It is a 175 foot length of row. That is a LOT of wood chips. "

LOL. Not really. ;). I have over 1200 feet of vineyard all mulched with wood chips. I do a little at a time. If you do 10 vines a day it would take you a couple weeks and you have all winter down there in tropical Maryland. I use a wheel barrel and chips are light. It's just like a walk in the park. Anyway, mulch 5 vines and see if you see any difference. Do you mow under the vines or do you let the grass grow?

"Vinifera needs to be on rootstock. Period."

The French own rooted for hundreds of years and they seemed to get away with it. There are nurseries in WA that sell own rooted vinifera. I bought some. WA doesn't have crown gall? Cold damage could involve Crown gall but some freezes have nothing to do with it.

r >

mow and weed eat.

"weed eat"

Ever girdle a vine? Now there's a good reason to own root vines.

Promoting the growth of fungus is incompatible with promoting the growth of wine grapes. Or any other fruit crops. The purpose of mulch is to retain water in the soil, and retard the growth of weeds.

That's because phylloxera didn't exist in Europe until it was inadvertently imported from North America in the mid-19th century. They can't "get away with it" now.

Here, educate yourself:

"Nope, even your preferred expert, Lon Romboubough does not mention wood chip mulch. He does mention (page 63) a study done by Cornell University which showed LOWERED brix levels using mulch. There goes your two brix increase theory - shot down by your own expert. "

Paul,

Not try> snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote:

On page 61 he states:

"An effect of mychorhizal fungus fungi that could bear on the control of phylloxera is the ability of the fungi to stimulate root development." .... "Since phylloxera harms the vines by killing or stunting roots they feed on, stimulating the vine to produce many new roots could help offset the harm of these sucking insects."

He discusses the use of compost to increase Mychorhizal Fungus but I have not found a reference to mulch or bark mulch to do this.

On page 231 he discusses winter protection in zones 4 or colder and mentions "laying them on the ground, whether to be covered with mulch or to be pinned down to allow snow to cover and insulate them."

In discussing phylloxera he states on page 128 that "this pest prefers heavy, clay soils. It is not a pest on sandy soils."

Shbailey posted this a few threads ago:

"I emailed Lon Rombough, the author of "The Grape Grower - A Guide to Organic Viticulture" about the subject of mulch. Here is his reply:

"The type of mulch makes a difference. Wood chips are a lot different than chipped tree prunings, such as tree services produce. Chipped pruning material is a mix of chip/chunk sizes and contains leaf matter and ramial wood (small twigs). Such material has enough nitrogen to keep it from taking N from the soil, but enough large material that it decomposes slowly when used as mulch. This is a lot different than using straight wood chips, which DO take N from the soil and can cake on the soil. Want proof? Pile up chipped prunings and they will heat like compost and break down to a dark humus-like material in a matter of weeks. Wood chips need lots of nitrogen and moisture added to compost anywhere near that way. In the vineyard such chipped prunings will last two to three years as mulch. They provide the humic acids that soil flora needs and promote more even levels of moisture and nutrients. Granted, results will vary with different soils, and it's not that easy to get enough chipped tree prunings, but results are favorable in most conditions. All I can say is to try it on an area of the vineyard and see. Anything that helps the life of the soil will aid the vines in the long run.

-Lon Rombough

NEW grape pruning video:

and in response to a follow up question about mulch compounding issues with excessive vigor:

"That depends some on the soil. Generally vines will grow better with mulch because moisture stays more constant in the soil. Without mulch moisture fluctuates more, which will stress and slow vines more than constant or gradually decreasing moisture.

-Lon"

In "The Grape Grower", Lon references a Cornell study where the best results for both moisture retention and grape yield/sugar was from planting rye in the fall, which was killed by Roundup in the spring and left on the ground as a mulch. "

Well, you know my experiences with wood chips. It doesn't matter and obviously Lon has no experience with them and I have more than he does. I will tell everyone for the umpteenth time that wood chips produce mychorrhizal fungus and earthworms while regulating moisture. The key to the wood chips is the good fungus that it produces along with all the other benefits.

One more thought.

I've pers> Shbailey posted this a few threads ago:

I laughed when I read this.

Wood chips are cheaper than biovam and better for the soil.

Spud,

aren't you growing grapes in the northwest too? How's your vineyard doing? what are you growing?

spud, nice read

I don't have anything to report. The vines are either cordons, trunks or just established this year with more going in next. Give it

Steve Oregon

a few thoughts,

we are in the northwest. our climate is not the same as the east coast. we do not use hybrids here. own rooted is the norm, not grafted. but you know that.

you on the other hand have chosen to plant a vineyard in an area not known as a growing area. and, you have chosen to plant pinot rather than rhone or bordeaux varietals. to the south of you the Oregonians plant pinot, to the west of you they plant very little. Woodenville has lots of wineries, very few vineyards. far to your east and over the mountains is a different growing world. to your north (BC) they freeze and specialize in ice wine.

a few nuts and bolts questions: what are the heat units on your property? have you done a 30 year degree day study of you plot of ground? how much slope is there? will the cold air run off past the vines? are you using drip?

Why did you choose those clones? are they selected for your growing degree days? you are directly north of willamette valley, the home of pinot. how do your choices match up with those of your oregon neighbors? my personal experience is the need for more than one grape to blend for a better wine. pomard, dijon, and . . ? they each add their own component, nose, body, color.

Find a grower mentor nearby, even if that is on Bainbridge Island. Join WWAGG. Attend seminars and clinics.

plant own rooted vinifera based on your own unique growing region. Have you talked to Tom Judkins?

ted

Spud,

Are you grow> I don't have anything to report.   The vines are either cordons,

"we are in the northwest. our climate is not the same as the east coast. we do not use hybrids here. own rooted is the norm, not grafted. but you know that."

Ted,

What do you mean? Are all the vines in Washington own-rooted?

Sorry double, not going to play your word games

my comments were to and for the person who started this thread and asked the questions.

I am happy to identify myself to the group.

I am not interested in debating wine growing from behind a screen.

I make wine in the northwest. I grow wine in the northwest. I live here.

good luck with your career in debate.

ted