New Vineyard Timeline
Many a viticulture extension associate will tell you that, more often than not, people interested in growing grapes will call and ask for beginner's advice a mere couple of months before planting the first vine. Just as with any other business, a tremendous amount of consideration and planning needs to go into planting and managing a wine grape vineyard. This book - 2 Years Prior to Planting - is aimed to provide general information on planning steps prior to planting the first vine. Here, we outline a business plan as an absolute must; necessary equipment - depending on the size of the operation; and the most important facet of vineyard planning - site selection. With a perfect, or even a nearly perfect site, a vineyard manager can save a lot of money and grief in future vineyard issues.
Two Years Pre-planting:
Starting the vineyard planning process at least 2 years ahead of time will allow time for soil testing and preparation to ensure optimal soil conditions prior to vine planting. Any experienced grower will attest to the fact that making significant adjustments to soil and irrigation once a vineyard is planted is trickier due to the physical barriers of the posts and wires. So, start your vineyard business by mitigating risks early and save yourself money and frustration in the long run by:
Developing a solid business plan, complete with an exit strategy and succession plan;
Selecting an optimal site for grape production;
Planting varieties that will thrive at your site.
Delve into the first stage of starting a vineyard by clicking the titles below:
One Year Pre-planting:
Future vineyard land needs to be prepared before ordering the vines. As a general rule, the more money and time invested in site preparation leads to fewer difficulties down the road and allows for easier applications of soil amendments and installation of irrigation systems. In many cases, a cover crop may need to be planted one to two years prior to planting for weed suppression, soil retention and build-up of organic matter.
Assess deer and other pest pressures at your selected site. Many animals love to munch on different parts of grapevines, so it is best to put a plan in place ahead of planting for managing vineyard pests. Will you need bird netting, deer fencing, or an electric fence?
Finally, installing weather equipment is another step in maintaining good records and monitoring vineyard conditions. Get it installed early to monitor vineyard temperatures and local precipitation.
Once the land is prepared, plan to order vines at least one year in advance. Some nurseries may require more time for certain rootstock/scion combinations, so contact the nursery at least one, preferably two, year(s) prior to planting.
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Year of Planting:
The business plan is laid out; the ground is ready; and the plants are on their way. What next?
Prepare the ground for planting by turning the soil in the space allotted for the vineyard. By the year of planting, soil nutrient amendments should be complete, and weed populations should be under control. Review the information on the site selection page to determine orientation of vineyard, based on aspect and slope. Whether hiring a planting contractor or planting yourself, the time has arrived to get the vines in the soil.
Once vines are planted, what needs to be done?
The best time to create vineyard maps is during the vineyard layout and planting processes. You can note potential problems with specific vines (graft unions too close to soil line, or vines slightly off-center) on these maps as they go into the soil. Posts and wires should also be installed during the first year, to ensure that vines are properly trained from the get-go. Although fruit will be removed during this first (and second and likely the third) season, the vegetative (shoots and leaves) parts of the vines will need to be trained to at least one wire during the first season.
Grow tubes?
Whether or not to use grow tubes usually depends on the preference of the grower. We recommend that grow tubes are used for at least the first part of the season to protect young vines from weed sprays and to make these weed spray applications much easier. However, growers MUST be careful to check IN the grow tubes for insect and disease pressure and manage these problems early. Removing grow tubes before fall may improve the ability of the young vines to harden off for winter, increasing the likelihood of survival during the winter.
What consideration do grafted vines need?
Grafted vines need to be planted with the grafted union about 2 inches above the soil line. Plant it below the soil line, the scion may grow roots, which could become infested with phylloxera, which would then reduce vine size. Plant the graft union too far above the soil line, and the likelihood of freeze damage to the tissue is increased. Keep in mind that grafted unions need to be protected during the winter, whether by hilling up soil or applying compost or mulch around the graft unions.
Weed Management Keep weeds immediately next to vines under control to prevent competition between weeds and vines. Again, the goal in the first couple of years is to grow a solid root system, and intense weed pressure will only against that goal.
Water Management
While in most years, vineyards in Western New York require little to no extra water, we still recommend installation of an irrigation system, especially on well-drained soil. Due to the importance of water in establishing vineyards, it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
Insect and Disease Management
To grow healthy vines, vineyard pests must be kept to a minimum. Keep disease and insect pressures to a minimum and monitor for deer pressure. Scouting will become the foundation of your pest management program, so begin developing these habits and your integrated pest management (IPM) program early.
Click on the titles below for more information: