This is how each newly planted vine looked . . . a single, waxed graft.
Within three weeks the grapes were growing, and so were the weeds. We cultivated them twice using an old tobacco cultivator. We also pruned them for the first time, nipping off all but two or three shoots, and any tiny bunches of grapes.
And that was just the beginning . . .
Anchors were placed at the ends of each row, augered in using a post hole digger attachment.
End and line posts were driven in using a vibrating pounder which the guys rigged up to a skid loader.
A pencil rod was placed at each vine.
The vine was fastened to the pencil rod with plastic banding.
We purchased a grape hoe to cultivate the growing vines.
The hoe has a sensor that detects the pencil rod and swings out around each plant, then back into the row.
Last week the guys strung the fruiting wire in each row. It is attached to the end posts and to each line post.
Each pencil rod is clipped to the fruiting wire.
The plants have been hoed and pruned again. There is only one stalk remaining. It will become the main trunk for the maturing vine.
The vineyard now. It is a beautiful thing to see!
3 comments:
We also planted a vineyard this year (8,200 vines)and are getting ready to install the trellis. We are interested in the post driver apparatus you used. It appears to be attached to an end post, which is attached to the forks on a skid steer. What did you use to secure everything? Is this a two man operation, or is a third required to place the driver on the post and apply downward pressure? What make/model driver do you have? It looks like a Stanley. We would appreciate your help. Thanks.
Ron, what we used to drive the post is a 75 pound vibrator which does not take down pressure. It is rested on top of the post and the vibration drives the post. Note too that we deep tilled 21 inches prior to planting. We borrowed the vibrator from a nearby vineyard. He attaches the vibrator via cable to a hedger on a front tractor mount. Since we dont' have that setup, we rigged it, chaining it to a log which was chained to the skid loader. We aren't sure of the manufacturer, but we can find out. Where are you located? If near us, we would love to visit your vineyard. Two people can run this setup.
Marilyn,
Thanks for the information. We may have a line on a Stanley vibrating driver, but in case it's not available, the make/model of the driver that you used would be helpful. Our vineyard is in Geneva, Ohio, close to Lake Erie.
Ron
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