I Need Your Feedback Please
Hi again friends,
Welcome back to www.My-Grape-Vine.com ‘s blog.
This is not a regular grape growing blog post as usual, but rather a cry for help :-). Yes, I need your feedback on how I can improve your learning experience at My Grape Vine. The Internet is a wonder on it’s one, but it’s still a “cold” way of communicating with people. Email is becoming more and more unreliable and with all the junk that fill our in-boxes, it’s really not easy sifting out what’s junk and what was send from a person who really needs help.
Please, take some time to think this over and don’t repeat a suggestion someone else already made. You can show your support for an already suggested topic by replying to that specific reply.
Thanks for your precious time …
Ready for a success story?
I received the following pictures from Jacques, a member of The Grape Growing System. He owns a small vineyard in Louisiana and used the Grape Growing System for the past year with GREAT success! Jacques, I hope you are reading this and thanks for sending me the pictures and WELL DONE MY FRIEND!
Notice how the well the above vineyard develops …
Great training techniques Jacques – good job!
Hopefully next year you will have a truck load full of this …
Here is the email from Jacques (please note I have deleted some private details from the email).
Hi Danie,
Just want to say thanks and send some pictures of my vines. Down in xxxxxxxxx Louisiana, July and August bringsrain and high humidity. Your CD (ed. he probably wrote the files he downloaded to a CD) has helped me and my 1st year vines do very well.I can’t wait for next summer to see if the grapes will do as well as the vines.
Thanks, Jacques xxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxx, La
Would you like to grow a vineyard like this?
I told you it can be done in one year, but you didn’t believe me! LOL 🙂
It’s time to get to work!
The Complete Grape Growing System is an online product and you will NOT receive a physical product. All the information is available immediately for download, after you ordered the product. You will only be charged US$29 (or your own currency converted) once, with no further payments or any hidden costs – GUARANTEED.
Get it now!
Tagged with: how to grow grapes
Filed under: growing grapes • how to grow grapes
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Hi Danie,
I live in northern Indiana. This past season my Concord Grapes were covered with Japanese Beetles. I sprayed them several times, but the next day the beetles were busy eating again, and I finally gave up. I don;t want to eat grapes that have been repeatedly sprayed with insecticide! Is there a solution for next year?
Thanks,
Ric
Danie
I have been subscriber to your free e-mail letter for over a year.
I have enjoyed and learned a lot.
I have ten acres of land in Eastern part of Virginia, on Chesapeake Bay, and am contemplating planting in wind grapes sometime
next year.
Keep up the information stream.
Lou
Danie,
That should be wine no wind grapes….lol
Lou
hi danie nice photos mine too are nice like that at first but later on im having difficulty of controlling fungus. Most chemicals needed in grape production aren’t available here in the phillipines.
Q: Types of post that can be used to hold the wire for grapes. My soil type is mostly clay too much sand without losts of compost make cement.The problem I’m having is the post rot of within a 2-3 years and I don’t care for the steel post. I’ve set the wood in cement and gravel to allow for drainage. Doesn’t help. Can I use treated wood if set many feet from the first and last grape. I’m on crutches and and doing the work myself.I really love doing it. I’m finding difficult to replacing the wood every few years. Steel Is nice but in my garden it cool and out of place, and maybe its just me but the things I plant around steel post. don’t do as well. Please, can you offer some advive I’m having to replace 6 post this year. Thank you for taking the time to read my question. Peace to you. Pauline, Calimesa, Ca.
Hello Danie I have enjoyed your web site next year I hope to have better control over my grape vines as right now as you say they can get out of control and mine are taking over our back yard up into the fruit trees over our canopy and starting to go over the neighbours fence.
Fred Scott
What about pictures to compare different regions and results which we have got from following your blog. Also effects of over watering,or underwatering. Organic verses non organic.
Just a few suggestion as you dont comment much about South Africans on your blog and there must be some of us out there, comparing North and South.
Thanks for all I have definately learnt a lot from you.
Jo
Danie: Have you addressed the issues or techniques of girdling grapevines to increase the size and sugar in your grapes? Is this a practice you employ?
Dear Sir
Thanks for sending many good tips and vedeos about the planting of grape,and appreciated a lot and many thanks on spending times to us.
Well l have problems in growing the grape in our country Malaysia here,l got the plant from New Zeland and been grown for more than 4 years and each time only has one bunch of grape with 4-5 pieces hanging ha ha,when l saw your grape growing,l really very admire your plant.
Please help me on below questions:-
1) Grape plant from Temperate country can grow in equatorate country? If can how to grow?
2)What is the best temperature the grape can grow well?
3) Can make a green house with control temperature to 24 degree to grow my plant?
Thanks
Regards
Danny
Hi Danie!
Am a newbie to the grape growing family but with the contents of your materials, you are great and I know I will make it.
My challenge to you and all folks in the industry is, what type of table grape grows well in the tropics and are there any special steps to take to grow them successfully?
I trust that I will receive a very encouraging respons.
Thanks
Thanks for your wonderful and inspiring directions. While in Wisconsin, I planted 2 vines and one is doing great. These are a test and learning process. My objective is to move to Missouri, a warmer climate and start a vineyard.
SUGGESTS
– Perhaps a geographical reference with suggestions.
– Site selection criteria.
– Seedless grape suggestions.
– Sourcing and buying of roots and vines for various varieties.
– More photographs from all of us trying to join in the fun.
hi danie, i keep reeding your blog and find it very good, am keeping all of it as i have just put in 11 vines, so im just training them at the moment and feeding to improve the roots. im hoping that they will do well in the southern england
Hey Danie, You certainly have your hands full responding to all the mail.. I dont really have any brainstorms for your blog apart from.. Perhaps u could talk about the many varieties of grapes.. Such as characteristics, where they r best suited to grow, types of soils prefered,pruning techniques for specific vines etc..
perhaps posting a blog once a month on one paticular variety.. ??
Your information is gr8 and u seem very dedicated to us all. Thanking u always
Hi take a look at our grapevine here in the Philippines http://wyneheart.blogspot.com/2009/05/our-grape-vines.html. Winson is maintaining our vineyard, as for now we have 8 variety of grapes. The picture in my blog is 1 year old, Winson already prune those vines and leave a message if you want to see more pictures of our vines.
I saw that my message needed modification. Let me know what other information I need to send. I have about 400 grape clusters and they look like they are almost mature. The temperature here is around 100-105 at this time of the summer. Do I have enough grapes to make wine?
HI Danie,
I am happy that you were able to take time off with the family!! But your not suppose to take your work with you on vacation! To be perfectly honest, I really did not think that you lacked anything in your website. That being said, after reading all the blogs I realized that there were quite a few folks on the east coast of the USA that were pulling thier hair out over the disease Black Rot. Your intro as I recall was that the world wide web may lead folks in many different directions and I agree. I think what you have done is superb! I was actually researching this disease when I found your web site. I responded to 2 of the blogs, and I hope I was not stepping on your toes. My only recommendation is that you would touch on this subject as I am sure you have far more researching tools at your disposal. I researched fungicides in my area, talked with local growers, the extension office and combed the Wed to finally be prepared to fight the battle with Black Rot. So without hesitation, Danie,I know what these folks are going through. I think your program is just what the doctor ordered and your doing an excellent job!!
Thank You Ed
P.S. Bring the family to the beautiful Blueridge Mountains someday!
Dear Danie,
Glad to hear that you thoroughly enjoyed your holiday with your family.
I really enjoy getting your E Mails as I find them very informative and helpful, I only have two grapevines which I planted last year and they seem to be growing well so far.
I appreciate all the help that I have had with the information that you send to me which is excellent.
Many thanks
Kind Regards David Ferguson
Hi Danie.
The idea of a photo page for member’s vines/vinyards would be great, especialy if members had pictures of the progress of thier vines over a period of time and gave paticulars to thier Terroir (climate & soil). Thank you for what you have provided so far. I have been a member of the Grape Growing System for a year now and have used your teachings to build a 50 vine Merlot back yard vineyard on a mountain slope in Kelowna BC Canada. I planted later this spring because of lingering cold weather, I put in 2 different Merlot clones with 2 diferrent rootstocks to get more character.
I have been told I am pushing it to try and grow decent merlot this far north, but lately the temperature in my vineyard is 40C and the vines are growing well on the sandy-rocky soil with 17 degree slope using drip irrigation. I had to remove 4 80ft pine trees to get at least 8hrs of sunlight, but I think I wiil remove 3 more to get 2 more hrs. I had the soil analized and expected it to be acitic, but to my surprise is was almost neutral. I also had to put up a 7ft Brenners Deer fence to keep Mule deer out, (the fence is almost invisible, glad I got it)www.bennersgardens.com (check it out). So thanks to your 1st yr pruning tips I think all the vines will reach the fruiting wire of the VSP trellis. Thanks Danie
I am in the second year of growing syrah grapes. I have a lot of grapes that are almost ready to be picked. How many grapes does is take to make wine and how do I know when they are ready to pick Valencia California?
Are you awaiting moderation from me? if so what other information do you need? I just re-read the article on the different stages of growing grapes but still I am not sure when to pick them. Valencia California is average 100-105 during this time of year. Hope this helps. I have about 400 bunches of grapes on the two wine plants is that enough to make wine?
Hi Danie This is my Third year of growing a grape vine in my greenhouse ,and this year I got grapes about six bunshes and they are green, but my problem is when will they ripen and turn black because they have been a long time green ,what month will they turn you have been great with your help please could you answer this one ,thanks take care best regards Roy.
Hi Danie
Please tell me if there is any easier way to obtaining the COMPLETE GRAPE GROWING BOOK. It will assist me in solving most of my problems. Send me details of how I can benefit from training on the act of growing grapes. I am hoping to bring up an association of grape growers in Nigeria.
There is a potential big market for growing of grapes in my country.
Thank you.
Clement OHIKHUEME
Federal Ministry of Environment
Abuja Nigeria.
base on you knowkedg of grapes and the climate of the grapes you grow and the similar clmates around the globe you can give a special blog on what grapes do best in certain areas.
Hello Danie.
Thank you for your email. I was glad to hear that yourself and the family had a lovely holidays. Regarding the grape vine I am trying to grow, I live in Lahore (Pakistan), and the temp is between 09 C to 25 C from Dec to Feb, and 25 C to 45 C from Feb to Dec. And not much rain, therefore, the vine don’t grow very well. I get very small bunches of grapes and they are not very sweet either. I consulted the agriculture dept and was told that the climate in the Punjab region is not suitable for growing grapes. So I don’t think I will be successful in this, unless you have any sugestion.
Best regards.
Iftikhar.
I enjoy your sight and emails very much.I have grown grapes for about twenty years,just to cover my porch sides.I have been trying to grow them properly forthe last two using your teachings.Please wish me luck.
Thanks to every1 for the response (huge)
I will have a look at these comments over the weekend and
reply to each of them.
Take care and happy grape growing
Danie
My
Grape Vine
I love reading your suggestions and ideas for growing grapes. We planted 6 acres of vines and everything is organic. With over 4000 plants weeding is a task. We have used white clover for ground cover and nitrogen production as well as cedar chips around the plants to reduce the weed growth. I just fertilized with a compost tea I developed and I’m waiting for the results. Our Vineyard is on Manitoulin Island on the north end of Lake Huron in Northern Ontario Canada. They say grapes won’t grow in this region however we are out to prove the people of Niagra on the Lake wrong. I’ll send you some pictures soon.
Hello Rick and Louise, please do post your results when you have a chance! I am located in the upper Ottawa Valley here in Ontario and have been reading and observing for some time. Currently I only have 3 vines plus a huge crop of wild grapes that I have begun to train all around my page wire property fence. I am interested in growing grapes on a much larger scale once I have determine which grape varieties will grow best in our climate here. We also do everything organic. What varieties are you growing?
Hi Danie,
Thanks for posting my pictures on your blog. In March of 2008, I planted one grafted Chambourcin / 101-14 vines and was pleased with the vine’s growth for the year. (Picture #4) In January of this year, I found you and your e-book and realized that the trellis wouldn’t last with the vine I had planted. Pleased with the vine’s growth, I ordered 11 more and made the trellis seen in the pictures above. The vine in picture 4 was pruned and transplanted to the new location and in March of this year the 11 new vines were planted as well. I made wine from concentrated grape juice 2 times this year already. My goal is to make wine from the grapes from the vines. I do know it’s a long shot to make a great wine from a grape vine grown in South Louisiana but I’m going to give it one hell of a shot. The information from your newsletters and your e-book has been the only tools I used to get this far. I can’t offer any more than what you have provided to us already. You have done great work Danie.
Thanks for your help,
Jacques C.
South Louisiana
I live in Montana, we have like 90 days of summer here, however I have two vines (concord and valiant)in my greenhouse, and I have never seen such crazy amazing growth, they climb around and up everything, I only found you about a week ago and I have not done any training to my vines, they are 3 years old this summer, I have to admit that I have not read all you have to offer so I don’t know if you have info for someone like me, but I winder if you have advice for people who have done nothing for 3 years and now they want to try to tame the vine. Also is there a difference between what types to grow and how, when you want to make grape jelly and not wine? Thanks. Amanda
Hello Danie,
I really appreciate the information that you’ve provided me in successful growing of grape vines. I live in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, and am a novice at growing grapes myself. I have one red seedless vine that is three years old and has been bearing for two years. I just planted a second, which is too young to produce, and was wondering how about pruning–how and when. Your blog provided all my answers, and I am looking forward to putting them to use this fall. I used cedar 4 x 4’s and 2 x 4’s to created my “T” supports and four wires from one end to the other. The vines are traveling them quite nicely. Thanks again for your help. I look forward to your next newsletter.
Hi Danie
Pardon for no reply in the past few months.My crop is program to harvest every month ,so I was very busy from crop management.Nearly i will sent you my grapevine photo.Thank for your advisement.Krisanapan,Thailand.
For several years now I have observed a local homeowner in Auburn, Wa near my workplace who always seems to have a bumper crop on his concord vines, even in years while my own vines disappoint. Yesterday I spoke with him to try to learn his secrets. He told me he’s been at it with these particular stock for well over 15 years.
• Each Fall he prunes back to 2 buds for each branch that he wishes to have fruit the next year. Otherwise he removes the complete branch if too many occur or branch density per liner foot of vine is too great. (The difference in my practice is that I have not been paying attention to the density of branches.)
• Each spring as runners begin to fruit he immediately prunes away all non-producing runners unless the needs new growth to improve his density of branches coming off the main vine. ( I have not been doing this and suspect it is the main difference in that I waste a lot of early energy going into non-productive growth.)
• He prunes about three times during spring removing any new growth above the last grape cluster. It is now July 15th and he just completed what appears to be his final & 3rd pruning so that the vine’s energy goes into the clusters. The results are impressive in that he has a good load of large clusters with each grape fully filling out. (I wish I could say the same for my vines which are sparse in clusters and the clusters have about 10-15% of the number of grapes as his does.) What I have not been able to figure out is why does his vine clusters have so many grapes and mine with less clusters per vine have far fewer grapes?
Here is my conclusion as I have studied his management technique: I need to basically follow his technique starting this Fall by pruning back to two buds each branch I need for production next year along the vine run. Then with each Spring pruning:
1. First Spring Pruning: When it’s apparent which branches will not produce fruit, if I need it for density, then I prune it back to two buds so that in the following year I have the option of using it for production or removing it if I discover its too dense. If I do not need it for density, then remove it at the vine.
2. Second Spring Pruning: Continue the same practice, except this time you should be able to see the last cluster forming. Prune each producing branch to one bud & leaf beyond the last cluster of grapes forming.
3. Third Spring Pruning: Refine all excessive growth on new shots that are non productive and assure enough foliage is removed so that sun can penetrate the vine.
If anyone can give me your tips or ways to improve my technique, it will be welcomed!
I did put a lot of water on the wilted Concord grapes and they recovered in one day and are very firm today. I guess it was just too dry. I do enjoy your advise and use it on a regular basis. I pruned this year as you advised and have a very good stand. I really don’t know what you could do to improve. I think your information is always a varity and coveres all of the basis. thanks Jim Delaware
I have enjoyed receiving your e-mails; however, have not committed to being serious about growing grapes in a proper manner. Have about 8 plants of various ages scattered about my backyard. Am designing a consolidation in a single location and especially enjoyed Jacques’ photos and comments. When the decision is made to be serious about grape growing, I most likely will subscribe to your program. Until then, am learning by observing.
Danie,
I only have a couple of vines,(muscadines), and when I bought them from a Ga. nursery, last fall, they were very small. We had a horrible freeze in Feb. here in Ky., but, in spite of that, they appear to be doing well. Rabbits had gotten into them in the beginning of their 2009 growth but I enclosed the vines and have outwitted them for now. They look healthy enough, but I really don’t look for them to produce anything this year. Am I wrong in this assumption? I’ve thought of calling the county extension office here in Danville, as they will come out and check on them if I ask.
I’m sure I will need much help as I have no clue, except what I’ve gotten from your e-mails.
Thank you for your willingness to give your advice. They are just growing beautifully, they aren’t very large yet but guess I’ll just let them until the fall?
Hello. I am in Puebla, Mexico and I bought some UVA (grapevines) from a Market garden in Atlixco last year. They cost US $1.50 each Some I planted in Puebla where it can be dry in the winter and they are growing very slowly and only reach about 1 metre in height. Some died.
It is a different story, though, in our mountain place in the Sierra Madre at Tequila, Veracruz where we have 3,000 sq metre place with breathtaking views and rain a lot of the time.
Our house is built on a sloping lot and vines which we planted at ground level have scaled up trees and any support to reach heights of 7 or 8 metres to a 25 metre long balcony where they are very well established. I think I will have fruit this autumn and winter and I will prune after that time. I am in an Internet cafe at present in Tequila so I will send pictures when I am back home in Puebla. Thanks for your help and advice. Ken Knight 0052 222 225 4201 and kenknight101@gmail.com All welcome here.
i live in eastern kentucy
my grapes last year and this year have gotten brown rot
is my vineyard ruined?
Jon,
Go back to the comment I left JD Miller, The disease is actually called Black Rot of Grapes. It is the #1 distructive disease on the East Coast and alot of blogs are varifying that. No your vines are not ruined they just need some TLC.
I am new at growing grapes, this is the third year, and the vines are growing out everywhere, I have never seen such rapid growth, however very few grapes, I think I pruned them too much last year, but not sure how much to prune this fall, could you advise me? I am in southern Va.
I live in Tennessee and have 4 concord gpares that as I thought they were shattering but they didn’t stop they kept getting purple circles on them and falling off.What do you think caused this?
Danie, thanks for all the emails i learned a lot. i will be trying to grow my own grapes
David V.
does it matter how tall the arbor
I just built an arbor that is 40’long by 12’deep.It is 8′ high and I have 6 plants growing up the posts at this time.My question is basicly the the same as David’s.Is 8′ to high or should I suspend wires below the lattis top and train the vines to grow along them.
Any info would be appreciated as soon as possible as my vines have a
lmost reached the top .
Larry
Dear Danie, I enjoy your blog very much, I have about 60 vines and there is alway something to learn, I am located in northern Mexico, semi desert, extreme weather, and looking for some irrigation tips,
congratulations . Javier
I can’t help really I have not got any vines yet but have been collecting all your e-mails so that I will know what to do when I get them.
I live in France though so the climate is not the same, but my neighbour grows them quite successfully so I am hopefu;.
It is all really usefeul and helpful and I thank you very much
Maureen
Hi Danie,
How can I grow grapes outside in the UK where it is cold and wet most of the year. We havent had a (what you woud=ld call a summer for four years now. I have had to resort to growing my vines in greenhouses where they do well. I would love to be able to grow them outdoors and not have to restrict their growth so much. Thanks for everything youve taught me.
All the best,
David
hello dear madam
thanks for sending me so useful tips of grape training and pruning.
i am student of agriculture faculty in the departement of horticulture. it was so useful for me to that i learn from your email that you were sending me and i used that method during the practicle work with my teacher on grapes in the gardens.
sepecialy i used the using of Gibbrelen hormone on the cluster of grapes that is so useful i hope that i will send you some pictures of grape that i used GA3 in the farm during my practical work.
and thanks for making this blog for improving the experience of farmers and most of the students in the training of garpes.
best wishes for more improving
thanks
Mohammad Khalid jalali
Hi Danie
I enjoy your newsletter and blog. I only have 8 grapes
vines and I had put them in before I found you so
your pruning info has helped me a great deal.
I run my laterals about 12 inches (30cm) above
each other not like Jacques and by the way that’s
A nice looking vineyard Jacques. Last year I had
but vine that grow the grapes larger then the rest
and didn’t sweeten up at all come frost. Does this
happen sometime?
I hope you have a good one Mac from Nova Scotia
Dear Danie,
I have planted virusfree Georgian Aboriginal Varieties of Grape: Sapheravi, khikhvi, Qisi. There are growing well.
also I made in vitro mikroplants for production virusfree plantlets. I hope there will propagated sucsessfully.
May be you have good protocols for micropropagation of grape. please give me information
best regards
Lali
Hi Danie,
Damian here,a new grower from Prieska in the Northern Cape.I bought a place with Grape Vines on the border of my property and over the driveway,so the vines are fairly well established,although how well they’ve been kept is another question altogether.I purchased your book and will have to study it thoughrely.Any information to help boost lagging vines would be greatly appreciated.
Damian
Hi Danie
I have planted 6000 vines, 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay and 500 Syrah. They have done very well the first year. I now have the puning to look forward to again!!!!
Could you please advise what the cost of your growing program costs in SA Rand.
Regards
Gloria
Dear Danie.
I really appreciated your hard working for better vine.
I have been staying small island Saipan, part of the Micronesia in the Pacific. Currently I am a Math teacher but I really like any grape to eat. Sadly, I never heard about growing grape in Saipan but I really hope I can grow grape in Saipan, tropical weather. I don’t know anything until now. I just dreaming to grow grape here in Saipan and eat fresh grape. Thank you again for your concern to every one of us.
Mike Jang
From Saipn Island.
T
All you can do is keep it simple,informative,relevant and give us your us experience.I get tiered with websites/blogs etc.. that just go on and on.I like photos to demonstrate differect points.I actually pass things on to my mum who lives in Greece and I am in England UK,with my vine and doing rather well. Hope this helps don’t dought yourself.
Dear Danie
thank you for your mail, I must say that it is very informative
but I only have 1 grape vine that is 6 foots tall planted in a very sunny position against the wallit is 4 yeas old and it is a black grape seedles, but the trick is the chop who solded to me do not know the name of it, what can I do to find out
many thanks
Jack
Dear Friend Mr Danie
Have a Nice Day
I would like to Thank you very much for your Last E mails, Realy i highly appreciate your interesting and it is My Pleasure to be in contact with you.
I have a Recent Trouble in My Grape farm, it is the Saline water trouble.
Six Months ago, In Iraq ther is a little amount of Fresh Water coming From Turky and syria and Iran .
Now we have 80% of our Grape Vine killed in addition to the Date Plam trees and some other Fruit trees.
For GRAPE , i need your Help as you have a Very Good Experience in this field, I am Thinking a bout ( How to irrigate My Grape Vine with saline water, i heared a bout the MAGNETIC EFFECT on water and this May help to prevent the salt( Calisum Carbonate ) to stick and to kill the Trees.
Other Way to use the saline water, But not to use Fresh water in irrigation because production of Fresh water will need a lot of cost ( Money).
In Fact , i am trying the best to save all Grape trees of me and other Framers in Our Village ( Aldura ) in ALFAW District Located in The deep South of IRAQ.
Your Reply will be Higly appreciated
Thanks again
Best Regards
Your Friend
Mahmood S. Majeed
Annajah Engineering Group / Alfaw Farms
Mobie: +964 – 7801390939
Hai danie!
Hai danie!
Do you know me? Actually I’m living in a tropic area that there is a little big challenging world to grow grapevine here. We are here are not living thru the dormant season, what we have actually sun and rain throughout the year. But it’s not give us the blank idea about planting grapevine here how do you know we are able to push our mature vines to get the yield twice per year. We did it. But what we have concern that is about our quality grapes that we were achieved during harvesting time. We are facing towards with poor quality grapes which are badly sour taste of each bunch.
In this manner who can tell us how to make grapes such as table grapes become sweet?
Any way Thank for your attention
Regards
Roz
Malaysia
Hello Danie,
I purchased your Complete Grape Growing Imfo.and refer to it all the time as I attempt to cultivate my wine grapes.I find the info.very good but think perhaps it relates more to your particular climate which i suspect is a lot warmer and the growing season longer than here in B.C.Canada. Nevertheless,the principles are the same and Vineyards are springing up here more and more that produce some fairly good wines.
I guess what I’d like to see in your newsletter would be for you to describe a different type of grape variety each time and perhaps something of it’s quality’s and characteristics .As an example I know little about a grape called the Ortega yet it is grown very successfully here. Perhaps your blog could include such things as why a particular variety does well in one area ,but not so good in another.Anyway thats my contribution and please keep up your good work.
Regards Danny
Hi Danny,
The problem is; there are SO many varieties – some I never even heard of, but I will try to do this in the future.
I have some friends in the US who can help me with varieties I don’t know.
Danie
Danie, I live at about 4700 ft in Iringa, Tanzania, where grapes will grow but there is not the same dormancy period as there is at the Cape, in Europe and in North America. Can I have relevant advice on how to deal with matters such as pruning for this situation? There must be plenty of other growers who are in a similar situation to me.
There is a long dry season here (occurring between April and October) ao perhaps that is the equivalent of your winter?
Regards, Tony
Tony,
In other words your grape vines never go dormant?
Hi Dear Danie,
Thanks for your useful information about grape growing.
I love your newsletter and blog, but I think it is perfect and really have no any idea what you could do to make it better.
i have a problem with my graps because the lower leaves going to dry.what should i do to improve it?
As i saw the pictures it was really beutiful but very expensive. we should try to find the cheapest system for grapes growing.
Regards,
Hakim,
Great to see you like the website and yes, constucting a trellis is quite expensive – BUT think of it this way – your grape vine will be in your garden for the next 15 + years
Danie
I think your regular e-mails and your new website is fantastic.
My grapes are Ok, so good that now the birds and my wife have a competition to who get them first. I followed your sdvise and I did something as Jacques did, with two new plants. Let see for the next year. I will buy your book asap.
Thank you for being my advisor friend.
JD
Hi JD,
LOL, yep the birds are always first to know when the grapes are ready to eat!
Good luck and looking forward to see welcome you as a member of the Complete Grape Growing System
Danie
I have enjoyed your E-Mails over the past year or so. I am also having some problems with my concord grapes this year. It was very wet early in the year in Delaware and has been very dry for the past couple of weeks. My soil is light and drys out quickly. Anyway, my grapes are three years old and I pruned them as you suggested with only about 50-60 eyes per vine. I have beautiful bunches on the vines that I added water to but on two or three of the vines nearly all of the bunches are wilting like they do not have enough water. I have read that grapes do not need much water as the roots are deep. However, I am going to water these vines real heavy and see if they come out Thanks for the ongoing good information. I have been growing concord grapes and making good wine for 40 years in Maryland. I do not think the soil is as good for grapes in Delaware as it is in Maryland. Thanks, Jim
Hi Jim,
Did you dig a hole close to one of the vines, to measure the soil moist? From you comment, it seems like your soil drains very quickly? Right? If this is true, then do one deep irrigation to fill the sub soil and alter your watering cycles to less water per cycle, and with closerer intervals could help.
Go back and read the post I made a while back. http://www.my-grape-vine.com/blog/new-to-growing-grapes-watering-grapes/
Danie
Danie, Thanks so much, You are right on about the water. I tried to dig a hole about a foot from the vine and at 6 inches the ground was so dry that the 8 inch hole digger stopped working. The sand was so loose that the digger could not hold it. I will try to water at least twice a week and leave a test hold to be sure that the moister it gets at least 12 inches down in the ground. Thanks again for your excellent suggestion. If you let me know where to purchase some things on your web site I will buy some things from you. I have a hydrometer but need the other testing things that you talk about. Thanks again Jim
Hi Danie……only have 3 niagara grapes, but like the others they are rotting … also too much rain in western ny … love reading your info …. I don’t see in any way how you can inmprove your newsletter … you are very informative …. keeep up the good work!!!!! mj
😉 Thanks MJ
Hi Danie,
i want to spread cow manure on my vines ( 40 acres) must i spread it between the vines or next to them , still have the old flood irrigation trence plow so i can use that if i have to spread it next to the vines
kind regards
gerrie
Gerrie,
Personally I don’t like to use cow manure in my vineyards, because of it’s low nutrient levels. It however will improve the structure of the top soil.
If you want to spread cow manure, spread it on the growing row (between the vines) – if you want to improve the soil structure, between the rows, then use the trence plough
Unfortunately, my few grapevines have been neglected because of my various health problems in the last year. Hopefully, next year I can spend the time necessary to improve my vines and perhaps someday I’ll have some grapes.
Hi Elena,
Sorry to hear my friend. All the best for your health and good luck with the grape vines
Danie
I learn a lot from your blog. I raise grapes for fun as I live in far north ND right next to Canada. It gets -40 here in the winter and lots of snow. This is the second year for my grapes and they look good. I’m training them on a 2 wire trellis and they look very healthy.
Hi Beth,
Good to hear your grape vines are doing well, even in extreme temperatures.
What variety is it?
Danie
Looked at the pictures they are encouraging. We will not be planting our grapes till next year. Still doing the landscaping and prep.
Terry
Hi Terry,
Yep, as once the vines are planted, landscaping will be much harder.
Good luck
Danie
As I worked in my early research years in grape breeding researches
so I enjoy your great work to help people and very nice pictures reflect hard work
thanks very much
🙂 Thanks Profbadr
I am a student of victiculture and oneology in New Zealand.
I have no exprience about grape growing before, after get your book it was really good for study. After finish study I will extablish vineyard and winery sometime then I will let you know.
Thanks for all your information and I am always waiting for your new information and skill.
Thanks
Hi Sang,
Good to know you could use the info in the Complete Grape Growing System.
Take care and good luck
Thanks for your continued interest in sending me interesting email. With great appreciation. Art Angove, New Berlin, Wisconsin. A good State to grow grapes.
Always a pleasure Arthur
Take care
Danie
Danie,
I love the updates, I honestly don’t have much to add. I think you are doing a fine job.
I have been making wine here in California for about 10 years.
Three years ago I planted 200 cab Sav vines on the west side of Paso Robles Ca. All for personal consumption. my goal is a stressed very intense grape that will have low yields but excellent quality.
I’ve been watering to establish the plants but hope that at some point I can dry farm. I set the vineyard up for this with wide spacing.
One challenge I have faced is finding good pruning tips for goblet style pruning. I still feel like I hack the vines each year.
Any ideas?
Hi Wayne,
Thanks for the kind words my friend.
For those who don’t know; Goblet Style pruning is way of growing a grape vine close to the ground, without any trellis system. It is good for dryland vineyards (as Wayne mentioned).
After the vine is pruned it looks like a goblet glass ψ.
Wayne, I would love to see you vines – can you send me a few pictures.
Danie
I will get some shots and send your way, sorry for the delay.
Wayne
I have only 7 grape vines but find your suggestions and instructions very helpful. This year I am having the same problem as PD Miller due to the very frequent showers. The amount of water is not the problem. The problem is that the vines are almost constantly wet. I tried futennagers trestlesngicides but they seemed to do nothing but wet the plants also.
Hi Bill,
“futennagers trestlesngicides”? What on earth is that?
Some growers where I live, cover sensitive vineyards with transluctant plastic sheets – seems to be working very well. I will try to get some more info and post it.
Danie
Hi and thank you for the news letters. I am from Scotland and have transplanted my grapes into the ground. My neighbour has kept her plant in a pot and she has a huge grape tree with lots of grapes on it. I have a grape tree with nothing on it lol. Did I pot in the ground too soon? Is the soil not suitable for growing grapes in Scotland? Your help would be wonderful, now I think I may have to dig up and re pot for next year. Should I? Many thanks again, Heather x
Hi Heather,
Is her grape vine outside as well and is it the same variety? Did you choose a sunny spot to plant the grape vine and did you properly prepared the planting hole? Sorry about all the questions, but these are all factors that counts!
Looking forward to your reply …
Danie
Looking at the photos,I would like to know hom much weight will the grapes and vines total, by season end ? My wires might not hold the weight of my three years vines.
Carl, this an interesting question.
To be honest, it all depends on the crop size off course, but if you are having great success, it could messure up to 3.6 kg of grapes for every square meter of canopy! THATS HEAVY!
Keep this in mind when constructing the trellis – it will be some job to replace the wires in the future, when the grape vines are older.
Good luck
Hi
I have enjoyed seeing your detailed website on grapegrowing.
This is probably exceptional for the information it gives on grapes.
The pictures also open up your understnading.
Good job!
Thanks Bill 😉
Well, this is my first time and I am just starting. I planeted my grape vines 4 weeks ago and put the post in to grow on. At this point and time I am just wanting to know and more hoping that my vines that are close to the ground get tall enough to run down the lines I have made. I also have had japanes bettles that I have been watching for and fighting.
well, good luck to all and hope to be making wine some year soon. ohhh I mean jam. hehehhe
Malinda
🙂 Nice comment Malinda.
Good luck!
Danie
I love your newsletter and blog, but I really have no idea what you could do to make it better. I am giving up on my grapes. I can not find out what has made them rot just as soon as they start filling out. I had the soil tested and did what they recommended, and this year I had lots of beautiful vines, leaves and literally thousands of tiny grape’ettes. But as soon as they got as big as the end of my little finger, they started rotting. Now, approximately 95% of them are rotted.
I just don’t know what else to do with them. It HAS rained a lot this early summerhere in E. Tennessee…but I don’t see how that would hurt them They are not in a low or swampy area.
Hi Danie,
Thanks for your blog and for all the excellent advice. I live in UK but my vines are in Greece and they grow particularly slow on account perhaps of very little water all year round. Having said that, I planted them a year ago and I am still at the stage where I would not risk pruning them. I’ll let them get established first and will do the pruning later.
Excellent blog – thanks. I thing that a page with members photos would be great.
Raz
Raz,
A members Photo Page – what a great idea! I will certainly have a look at the options available.
Thanks for the suggestion and for the kind words.
Danie
PD,You will be surprised how much damage rain can do and it seems like in your case, it is (was) the rain that is causing the rotting
PD,
Don’t give up. I am in south west Virginia and would lay money down that you have Black Rot. I lost over 90% of my grapes last year along with many others around me! You can not help them this year but you can turn this problem around. This fall you need to rake all your leaves up and burn or discard them. Then go back and remove all the Mummies [ The raisin looking clusters that use to be grapes]. The mummies will carry the spores to reinfect your vines next year. Finally, starting in march when your new shoots are about 3 inches you need to start a serious spray program for the disease. Check with Southern States or your extension office to see what is being used for Black Rot. I sprayed Mancozeb Captan and Orius interchanging every 7-10 days and this year I lost enough berries to maybe fill 1 cluster. The rain is the culprit but the infestation will be there if you dont act. Follow Danie’s recommendations on leaf thinning so plenty of air-flow and sun reaches your clusters next year. Trust in that this can be beaten, Good Luck Ed
Hi Danie,
I am doing well with the vine and the vines are doing well with me.
I did not used the CD’s as mentioned in the blog,silly things make me laugh. I enclosed the fruit with shiny plastic wrap and they are now showing fruit coloring. I did make a lot of photos which I am planning to sent it to you when it is completed. You will be surprised how much I learned from the Grape Coaching Program and the constant blog from the article. I wished to learned more about
gibberlic (growth enhancement).Thanks for your time and effort.
Maryland
Hi again Grace,
Good idea using plastic, but remember to check for diseases on the inside! Remember, you are creating an artificial climate around the bunches, and with enough damp and heat, fungus diseases could develop.
The topic of GA treatments is a very specialized field and I will discuss this with the members of the http://www.grapecoachingprogram.com
Danie
Hi Danie,
So far so good plastic are doing fine. They have holes and open at the bottom. The color of the grapes are black, like Concord.
Birds are funny they have been nesting near the bunches. I guess they must be blind. Probably, by mid August I will try if it is ripe or not. I enjoyed the experience.
My grape vine is established but my 1 small cluster of grapes exploded due to the 100+ degree heat in Texas for 30 days straight??
It was going so good until the extreme heat came. I also made the mistake of using a sprinkler to water and now my leaves are even burnt looking. Any suggestions would be helpful.
Hi Kelley,
Sorry to hear about your loss, and yes, an ongoing 100ºF temperature can damage the grapes, especially when the vines are still young.
Keeping the micro climate around the vine as cool as possible is imperative, but NEVER water the canopy (as you probably know by know).
To other readers – don’t make the same mistake, water on the canopy is NEVER good (rain or irrigation water).
I will do a post on the opening and closing of the stoma, that will explain it more
I cannot access the book I purchased through on gowing grapes.
I just got my small Vineyard planted this spring (late) and wanted to reference the book, but I am not having any luck with it.
Last year I printed the pages I could (the video portion does not print) and was wondering if there is another way to print the book for my reference. Please advise.
Gary,
I will have a look at your membership and send you all the login details again.
Danie
Gary, found your membership.
Please check your email
Danie
Garry, I see you succesfully loged on.
I’m glad 🙂
Danie
I am just getting started, very stupid non green thumb person, going to try to build a mini-micro vinyard in Pinetop AZ. Loaded with vulcanic rock, high altitude about 6800 feet, summer temps around 90F winter temps around 20F. Dry so I will need ot irrigate. Very hard digging due to rock. I have cleared area with a slight slope about 50 X 50. I’m guessing I will have about 25 plants. There are lots of pines around so the soil is probably acidic. I need very basic info, how to build an arbour, how to plant, what to plant what soil additives. How much water etc. My goal is to make my own wine some day.
LOL Chris, we all started somewhere!
Most of the questioned you asked has been discussed in the past. Do a search and you will find it.
The search button is at the top right of the screen
“Search Our Blog”
Danie
Hi Danie
I thoroughly enjoy your grape growing tips etc, But I only have a modest house in southern England and thought that it would be great to grow a couple of vines, mainly for fun.
I now have four vines in my garden which creates quite a bit of interest from family and friends when they see real grapes growing!!
I can understand how your e-book etc is intended for the more serious vine grower, but I can ensure you that there is probably many more people like me, who have learned so much from your blog.
Please keep your blog going and bear in mind that there are a few of us who only have a few vines in a small garden.
Best wishes
Pat Neal
Hi Pat,
Thanks for the reply. I know most of the subscribers are home grape growers and therefore I do not dig too deep into a specific toppic, although I try to discuss and keep focus on what is important.
Thanks for reading the blog and I’m glad you like it.
Danie
Hello Danie,
While I read your material with gusto, I live in a Zone 3 area so the grape vines that I grow are not so much eating grapes but juicing grapes. I have tried growing some seedless varieties but they usually don’t do very well and in fact, I have not had any success with any seedless stock, even though they are apparently designed for Zone 3.
I still enjoy your content.
Regards,
Ash
Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada
Ash, yes Canada is not the easiest place to grow grapes, but I know of some grape growers that has reasonable success there.
Good luck
PS: Growing good quality seedless grapes is much harder ..