Go Nuts with Grapes

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Since cold air is the enemy, vineyard sites with some elevation and slope are ideal because cold air passes through rather than pooling to frost the vines. No matter how tempting that little valley bottom looks, avoid it if you can. Even a slight slope of 11/2 percent can greatly facilitate draining cold air.

Grapes thrive on sunlight and need as much as possible in order to ripen and produce sugar. If possible, locate your vineyard in an area that gets full sun and is open enough to receive good air movement. Planting between windbreaks, or in other areas with wind protection, may increase the susceptibility of the grapes to diseases like downy mildew or bunch rot.

When you have narrowed your site selection, it’s a good idea to take soil samples and have them tested. This extra step will reveal the soil’s nutrient and acidity levels. Your county extension office can refer you to a testing facility and will make recommendations on amending your soil.

Prepare in advance

Whether planting a garden-size vineyard or several acres, field preparation should be done the year before. If you are planting an area that has never been tilled, you will want to eliminate as much existing vegetation as possible. Some folks recommend application of a broad-spectrum herbicide, such as glyphosphate, before turning the soil. Others use crop oil, flame or close mowing as a prelude to mechanical tilling. If you prepare the field in the summer or early fall you will have plenty of time to go over it again and keep the unwanted vegetation in check. Till the soil deeply (and apply recommended amendments) the following spring to give the new grape vines a good place to set their roots.

Planning the purchase

Deciding what type of grapes you want to plant is one of the first steps in establishing a vineyard. Purchasing the vines also requires some planning. Because certain grape varieties are in high demand – especially the new cold-hardy varieties – most nurseries recommend that you order vines the previous fall for spring planting. A down payment is usually required to hold an order with the balance due at time of pick up or delivery. Since grape vines are often shipped bare root, you will want to be sure that you’re ready to plant soon after they arrive.

Put them in the ground

Grape planting in the upper Midwest usually occurs in April or May depending on when the danger of late spring frost hasassed. Vines may be planted by hand digging with a spade, but depending on the number involved, a tractor-mounted posthole digger or hand-held power auger might be a better alternative. Plant the vines in holes large enough to accommodate the root system, while locating the lowest bud right above the soil surface. All new vines should be watered in with 2 to 3 gallons right at planting.

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