subscribe
Who else wants to learn how to grow grapes? This grape growing blog is your free resource to growing grapes.

Archive for June 2007

Glen’s vineyard

On June 25, 2007   /   grape vine training, grapes, how to grow grapes, vineyard layout   /   Leave a comment

Hello grape growers!

I am so excited, I just had to put this on my blog! Here is a blog that shows you a really great looking vineyard!

Glen from Slovenia bought the Complete Grape Growers Guide in February this year. He planted his 403 grape vines in April and trained them with the help of my e-book and just look at the results! Excellent grape vine training.

Notice the development of the grape vines and how he removed the lateral shoots exactly like it should have been done. Almost every single grape vine has grown more or less the same length and they all look very, very healthy! This is what I call a complete vineyard.

Glen, I personally want to congratulate you with a well developed vineyard and this shows you what can be done with a little effort and the right knowledge!

Here is a quote from his email:” Your book seems to be invaluable, I only planted my 403 vines, well, started on the 18th of april (quite Late really) and all have taken, Most of them 98% are between half a meter and a meter high (See pic P6180008) they seem to be growing like wild fire using your first year pruning technics.”

Want to grow grape vines that look like Glen’s vineyard? The Complete Grape Growers Guide is your answer!

Happy Grape Growing my friends

Danie

PS: To get your copy of the Complete Grape Growers Guide, click here.

http://www.my-grape-vine.com
Back to Top

How to split a grape vine

On June 24, 2007   /   growing grapes   /   Leave a comment

Have you ever wondered how to split a grape vine to grow in two different directions? Now, you may ask: “Why should I need to split a grape vine?”.

In most trellis systems, somewhere, on one of the trellis wires, you will have to stop the vertical growth of the grape vine and stimulate lateral growth, in order to cover the all the trellis wires. When your young grape vine reach the point where you want to make the cordons or “arms” of the grape vine, you will have to somehow stop the grape vine from growing in length, so that the lateral shoots or site shoots will develop.
These side shoots will be used to make the the cordon of the grape vine and will therefore be tied on one of the trellis wires.
When your grape vine reach the trellis wire where you plant to develop the framework or cordon of the vine, you will have to remove the vertical growing point of the vine. When you remove this growing point, all the nutrients and energy of the grape vine is directed to the other growing point of the vine, namely the lateral or side shoots.

This grape vine reached the trellis wire where
the cordons will be developed.

Remember, when you remove lateral shoots from a young grape vine, always leave all the lateral shoots in an area of about 6 inches below the trellis wire, where the cordon will be developed. After you have decided what shoots will be used to develop the cordon, you can remove the unwanted lateral shoots.

This in only on simple method to develop the framework of the grape vine. The Complete Grape Growers Guide will teach you how to develop and train the grape vine from the day it is planted, until your fouth year of growing grapes.
http://www.my-grape-vine.com
Back to Top

Opening the grape vine canopy

On June 6, 2007   /   growing grapes   /   2 Comments

I want to share with you a trick I use to improve the ripening & coloring of my grapes.

When you look at picture below, you will notice a gap in the growth, between the two rows (where the two slanted poles are tied together). This picture was taken at about 300mm (+- 12 inches) shoot length and is in the middle of the growing season – about two months after bud break.

In the following picture you will see that the vines covered the whole trellis system, closing the gap there was in the previous picture – we call it “the vines take hands”. As you can imagine, allowing the vines to take hands, will decrease the airflow and sunlight penetration into the vines. By now, you should know that a poorly ventilated vine is more susceptible to diseases and therefore you will have to prune away some shoots to allow a the air and sunlight into the vine.

I normally open up the vines when I see the first signs of coloring. When grapes turn color, the sugar concentration will increase dramatically over the next few week, and it is a known fact that grapes with higher sugar, will get less sunburn damage.
By opening up the canopy, you will not only improve the airflow, but the sunlight will also penetrate the vine, improving the coloring and ripening of the grapes as well. So, if you have problems with poor coloring, opening the canopy will definitely improve the coloring of your grapes.

How to open up the canopy.

When you look at the last picture, you will notice that I pruned the vines to open up the canopy. One very important thing to remember, is that you must never prune away shoots you want to use for dormant pruning during the following dormant season, especially if you cane prune. Remember, that if you cane prune, you need canes of at least 10 – 12 buds long, therefore you will have to make sure you leave enough shoot-length.

When you prune away these green shoots, make sure you remove them from the canopy!

http://www.my-grape-vine.com
Back to Top