Vineyard site selection, design, preparation, plant materials, planting

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College of Agricultural Sciences
Cooperative Extension
Making Decisions That Will Last For A Lifetime… and Beyond.
Mark L. Chien
Viticulture Educator
Penn State Cooperative Extension
http://pawinegrape.com
Temperance Hill Vineyard
Willamette Valley, Oregon
Assumption:
We wish to grow high quality
hybrid or vinifera wines
Some Things to Do and Think About
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Why am I doing this? Will it last?
Knowing what you do not know and asking how will I fill the
knowledge gap?
Who will do the work? Consultants, service companies or me…
… if me then education is the key: read or go to school
Visit vineyards and wineries, local and beyond …but be prepared with
good, smart questions
You’re doing it! Attend meetings, workshops, field days, etc.
Examine thy:
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Wallet: do I have the money to do this well?
Calendar/Datebook: do I have the time?
Body: do I have the physical strength?
Risk tolerance: fickle weather, birds, wine makers, consumers, etc.
Heart: do I have the passion for a long-term project?
Family: is my family on board with me?
Filling the knowledge gap with
3 excellent how-to books:
Available (PDF) now on PWGN: A Practical Guide to Developing a Commercial
Wine Vineyard. By Mark Chien
Viticulture Information Resources List: books, websites, periodicals; consultants, vendors, nurseries,
educational resources, etc.
The pre-plant laundry list: better to ask the hard questions now …
Quality . . .
• …in everything: grapes, winemaking, winery relationships, vineyard
materials and equipment, personnel, etc.
• …it’s the BEST marketing tool
• …it’s the surest and fastest way to success and sustainability
• …it will make your reputation
• It’s more fun to have a good product that you can be proud of and
others admire
Viticulture Quality Factors
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Starts with knowing the wine type, style and price point
Site selection and evaluation: pick the land, don’t let it pick you
Terroir components: achieving a vine with correct size and balance
Only fully mature grapes can make fine wine
In cold areas, ripen the wood as well for cold hardiness
Vineyard design: vine density, spacing and yield per vine
The power of great viticulture: the garagistes
Strive for balance, harmony, uniformity, consistency
Vineyard Site Selection
The Most Important Decision You Will Make
45 mins
Wine Terroir
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Terroir: it’s everywhere! Even in your flower pot.
But for vineyards, these matter the most . . .
Components of soil: the chemical, physical, and biological
Climate at 3 levels - macro, meso, micro
Plant materials: species, variety, clone, rootstock
Viticulture: what we add to the grapes
Wine making: what the wine maker does to shape the wine
How do you get fine wine terroir?
Why is this such a great vineyard?
Soil Features for Fine Wines
• Excess soil moisture and nitrogen are the enemies of fine wines!
• Our objective is to create a balanced vine according to site capacity
and vine size. For this we need . . .
• Well to excessively well-drained soils: TAW 2.5 to 4.5
• Rock content up to 50%
• Effective rooting zone of at least 18 inches
• Low to moderate fertility (especially nitrogen!)
• pH 5.5 to 6.5
• Organic matter 2-4 percent
• No physical or chemical impediments to root growth
• For production vineyards: everything a step or two above
From Vineyard Site Selection, Wolf and Boyer
Looking into the crystal ball…
…three important tools
Bedington
Blairton (Arendtsville)
Chester Manor Loam
Berks-Bedington
Vineyard Soils of Pennsylvania
Soil Chemistry: now is the
time to analyze it and, if
necessary, fix it!
But get the right person
to interpret the numbers!
Vectors for:
• Tomato Ringspot Virus
• Fanleaf Virus
The Bad guys:
Pathogenic nematodes: now is the time to survey and treat them!
Climatic Challenges: you are not in control
• Continental climate: humid, wet, warm summers, very cold winters
above Mason-Dixon
• Freeze: LTE50, what is the threshold for injury? Varieties, seasons,
soils, etc.
• Spring and fall frosts (length of growing season)
• Summer afternoon thundershowers, hail storms, lightning, drought
• Harvest: hurricanes, low pressure systems
• The past decade:
– Fine: 2007, 2008, 2010
– Poor: 2003, 2004, 2009, 2011
• Impact: lack of uniformity and consistency in vineyard and products
Natives, hybrids and vinifera
Native and cold hardy hybrids
Hybrids and some vinifera
Vinifera
Hilling up in the fall . . .
. . . taking down in the spring >>
Annual rainfall from 1961 to 1990. Distribution is also important,
especially between mid-August and October!
What are Ideal Macro-Meso Climate Conditions?
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Enough winter rain to fully charge the soil with moisture
Not so cold as to damage grapevine tissue (vinifera 0F)
No late spring frost, enough sun and warmth to push vines through bloom
Some drying after bloom through fruit set to set berry size with mild stress
1-2” of rain June-August, enough to sustain growth but not too much
Dry and sunny conditions in September/October, < 2” of rain each month
No early fall frost
Steady descent from cool to cold conditions in November and December
How often do all of these conditions occur? Never. Make adjustments.
Impact of Climate and Weather
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What’s the difference?
Bud break and spring frost
Warm and wet increases disease and insect pressure
Wet exacerbates vegetative vigor which increases disease and hampers fruit
ripening
• Drought, hail, wind, etc.
• Acclimation, low and fluctuations in winter temperature affect vine survival
• Getting the fruit fully mature. Finding a cool site in a warm place or a warm
site in a cool region. Ripen fruit in cool conditions on the outer limit of its
ripening window.
Other Site Features
• Absolute (ripening) and relative (frost and freeze) elevations
• Local Topography
– Aspect (orientation)
– Slope
• Trees
– Black walnut and butternut
– Birds, insects, disease, shade
deer, wind
• Neighbors (non-agricultural)
– Cement, bricks, noise (yours, not theirs), etc.
– Schools and businesses
From Vineyard Site Selection, Wolf and Boyer
Fill the Knowledge Gap with the Right Experts!
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Soil mapping - Alex Blackburn
Plant material specialist – James Stamp
Viticulturist – Lucie Morton
Vineyard development specialist – Nelson Stewart
Consultants from France and California
Harrisburg Area CC viticulture and enology program
On-line tools:
• PSU VineyardMap
• USDA web soil survey
• Cornell NY Site Evaluation System
http://arcserver2.iagt.org/vll/
Tony Wolf and John Boyer, Virginia Tech
http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/463/463-020/463-020.html
Vineyard Equipment, Tools and Supplies: 15 mins
To Prepare a Field
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Crawler and shank
Tractor
Moldboard plow
Disc
Cultivator
Roller and drag
Herbicide sprayer with
boom
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Survey transit
Marking flags
Tape measure
Marking line
Vine place markers
or . . .
Planting
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Storage for vines
Water trough
Pruning shears
5 g buckets
Planting shovels, post hole
digger
• Soil tamping tools
Basic Tools & Supplies for Trellis Installation
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Hammer
Wrenches
Screwdrivers
Fence hammer
Come-along (wire tensioner)
Heavy duty wire cutter
Crimp tool-fasteners(nicopress, gripple)
Vise grips
Stake pounder
Level
Portable hole auger with bits
Wire jenny
Proper Clothing . . .
… for working in hot, wet, cold conditions and everything in
between.
• Heavy duty gloves and steel toed boots
• Eye and ear protection!
• Serious rain and cold weather clothing
• Personal protective equipment for safe use of pesticides
Specialty Tools and Supplies
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Tapeners for tying vines
Ty tape
Ag-tyes – know the difference!
Twist ties for tying canes
Pruning shears (manual, electric)
Vine loppers and folding saws
Sharpening tools for blades
Hand held scale for pruning
weights
Hand hoes
Backpack herbicide sprayer
Varmint traps
Harvesting equipment and supplies
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Birds scaring equipment
Small power generator
First aid supplies
Fence wire, duct tape
Large Equipment Inventory for a Commercial Vineyard
THINGS YOU REALLY SHOULD HAVE:
• Tractor (2 or 4WD) or crawler
• Spray Cab w/ filter system
• Grape Hoe
• Post Pounder or
• 3-Point Auger
• Mower/Brush Chopper
• Herbicide Sprayer
• Fungicide/Insecticide Sprayer
• Vine Hedger
• Reliable Farm Pickup Truck
THINGS IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE:
• ATV or Mule
• Leaf removing machine
• Cultivator/Seed Drill
• Soil Spader
• Flatbed Truck
• Grape Bin Trailers
• Bird Netting and/or Pyrotechnic Devices
OTHER IMPORTANT ITEMS:
• Reliable and Clean Water Source
• Nurse Tank for your sprayer
• Electricity
• Shop/Office
• Open or enclosed storage for large
equipment
Applies to All Equipment, Material and Supplies
• Good vendor or supplier: availability, do they deliver, do they know
their product, reputation in the industry?
• Get recommendations and referrals from other growers
• Highest grade or quality of material
• Service: how to get it fixed… fast!
• Check your materials and equipment BEFORE you use or install them
• Do they pick up and/or deliver?
Tractors
•4WD, if needed
•PTO power
•Reliability
•Service
•Spray Safe Cab
•Width
•Implements
Air blast Sprayer
Pak Tank Herbicide Sprayer
Lipco Tunnel Sprayer
Braun Grape Hoe
Keep a neat and organized shop
http://www.gemplers.com/
Vineyard Design and Site Preparation: 30 mins
Vineyard Design
This is why you did the thorough site evaluation
Vine Rows
Vine Density
•Row Spacing
•Vine Spacing
•Direction
•Length
•Slope
•Aspect
•Wind
Block Size and Shape
•Variety, clone and rootstock
•Topography
•Frost pockets
•Trees, neighbors, etc.
Headlands and Working Space
Trellis and training systems
Vine Size, Balance and Density
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Soil capacity
Vine size
Vine balance: veg vs. crop
Quality/yield relationship
– Amount of fruit per vine
Trellis system choice
Training system
Row direction and length
Exceptions to the rule: THV West block
High density: < 20 sq ft/vine
Low density: > 80 sq ft/vine
Medium density somewhere in between
8’x4’ to 10’x5’ is normal for this region
A great schematic of
a balanced
vine.
Too Narrow
It’s very
visual.
Optimum
Too Wide
From: Intrieri and Filipetti American Journal of Enology and
Viticulture, 50th Anniversary
Row Spacing: Quantity
• 1:1 Height to Width
• Equipment
• Trellis Type
Vine Spacing: Quality
• Vine Balance
• Yield per vine
• Vine vigor considerations
• Costs
Canopy Dimensions and Wires: some key metrics
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Leaf area index 1.5-2.0 sq meter per kilogram of fruit
1-1.5 leaf layers
3-5 shoots per foot of trellis
< 0.4 lb of pruning weight per foot of trellis
15-20 leaves per shoot to ripen 2 clusters
Row width to canopy height – 1:0.8
VSP: 6 ft+ total, 4’ of canopy
Scott Henry/Smart-Dyson: 7 ft+
Fruit wire: 24” - 36”. 2-3 pair of catch wires
Vine Density Effects on Development Costs
43,560 sq ft/ac @ $5/grafted vine
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12x8 (454) – $ 2270
10x5 (871) – 4355
9x4 (1210) – 6050
8x4 (1361) – 6805
7x3.5 (1936) – 9680
6x3 (2420) – 12,100
3x3 (4840) – 24,200
The Cost to Plant One-Acre of Vinifera Grapevines in Southeast Pennsylvania
Assumptions: Start with a one-acre cleared field. Spacing is 8x5 requiring 1089 plants per acre.
Dimensions of field are 210 ft x 210 ft. 27 rows.
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54 x 10’ Rib-Bak End Post
297 x 10g notched galvanized steel line stakes
36,000 feet x 12 gauge hi-tensile trellis wire
54 x 36 inch earth anchors
Wire Vise
81 x wire strainers plus handle
Crimp sleeves and tool
1100 pencil training stakes
Gripple wire fasteners
Vine ties
1100 x grow tubes or milk cartons
1089 x grafted vinifera grapevines (prep and shipping)
Labor at $15.00 per hour x 120 hours (planting, trellis, training, etc)
Laser Planting ($45/row + $.60/vine + $1800 truck fee)
Irrigation (not including well or pond)
Site Preparation (no forest, soil amendments, weed control, etc.)
Deer Fence (8’ mesh exclusion, wood posts)
Drain Tile (soil assessment will determine if it is needed)
1350
2970
750
330
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550
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5445
1800
3800
2500
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4000
2500
TOTAL DAMAGES:
$ 28,250 (round up to $35K)
Prices courtesy of Spec Trellising, Ivyland, PA
Development Cost Calculator from
Washington State University
http://www.nwgrapecalculators.org/
Commercial Training and Trellis Systems
• Vertical single canopy systems
– Vertical Shoot Position
– High wire cane or cordon
• Vertically divided canopy systems
– Scott Henry
– Smart-Dyson
• Horizontally divided canopy systems
– Lyre
– Geneva Double Curtain
Row Orientation: which way?
•Slope
•Aspect
•Wind
•Safety
•Aesthetics
Row Length
•Maximum Length
•Equipment Needs
•Human Needs
Headlands and
working space
Leave enough room for him to turn around
and to unload
A schedule to follow for planting in spring, 2015
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Summer 2013: site evaluation (soil, climate data). Write a business plan.
Viticulture education. Consultants.
In fall of 2013, order vines (variety, clone, rootstock)
Winter 2014: vineyard design
In spring and summer 2014: Clear field and begin weed control on site.
Bioremediation for nematodes. Deer fence and roads installed, storage shed,
well and other permanent structures. Check vine orders.
Fall, 2014: continue weed control, start soil preparation, rip and disc, add soil
amendments, plant annual cover crop or cover with straw, install drip
irrigation and tile drainage
Winter, 2015: Control gophers and other vertebrates. Check vine orders.
Reserve laser planter. Order trellis materials. Get ready for spring push.
Early spring 2015: final herbicide application for control of perennial weeds.
Disc and harrow field to smooth planting surface, check with nursery on vine
delivery date. Layout fields.
Mid-spring 2015: Receive and store plants properly. Plant when soil
conditions are right in April or May. Build trellis, hang drip hose, begin vine
training. Grow tubes? Disease and pest controls
Site Preparation: This is the only time you
will have an open field to work with
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Do as much as you can before the vines are in the ground
Find out all the past history of the area to be planted
See and understand what your neighbors are doing. Orchards? Vineyards?
If the field was planted in orchard or vineyard, lay fallow for 1-4 years
Decide what and how much cultivation to do. Have a good reason for every
treatment.
Make sure conditions are right for working the ground. Avoid compaction.
Remove everything that is not wanted now – weeds, rocks, etc.
Prepare the surface for marking lines and flags
If laser planting, special preparation requirements, ask them and follow
instructions to the letter or pay in quality and cost.
Caution: neighbors are watching and wondering. Deal with them honestly
and openly. Have a plan. Have a party. Inform and educate.
Do not hurry. Do it right the first time! The land will still be there tomorrow.
PREPARING THE FIELD
Now is your best chance!
•Vine, trees and brush
•Rocks
•Old fencing
•Old cars and refrigerators
•Vineyard perimeter
•Burning fields
To avoid this: control weeds before you plant vines
DRAINAGE AND TILING
Excess water is the greatest enemy of fine wines
• advantages and drawbacks
•NRCS and soil consultants
Irrigation
•Benefits: young vine development and drought years
•Water source?
•Water rights?
•Power: 3 phase?
•Cost for drip system
•Problems
An essential feature for most vineyards
10 Feet
•Deer
•Wabbits
•People
SOIL CONDITIONING
•Subsoiling/Ripping
•Discing
•Vine row, wing ripping •Cultivating
•Plowing
•Springtooth harrowing
•Dragging
Soil Preparation
• Rip if necessary
• Always ask “why am I doing this? Do I need to do
this?”
• Rip 2 ways or on the vine row with a winged plow
(Rutger photo). Uniform depth and effect.
• Top dress with compost to repair pulverized soil
structure, incorporate
AMENDMENTS
•Lime
•Gypsum
•Fertilizers
•Compost
Cover Crops: benefits
and dangers
• Before planting
• After planting
• Mature vineyard
New Vineyard
Mature Vineyard
Prepare and mark the field
Design and layout
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Contours, slope, flat land features
Rocks, ponds, woods, swales
Block size and shape
Varieties and rootstocks: where for best suitability and effect. Soils and
local climate effects
• Layout
– Surveyor and transit
– Clean field, dirt clods/wire
– Marking flags, popscicle sticks, fence wire, nicos, orange paint, measuring
sticks, tape measures, squares
– Stakes, hammers
• Stakes: line 16-24’ apart, 2-2.5 deep; end 3’min in, 20 degrees,
submains inside of stake, anchors straight in
Marking the field
Layout and Marking the Field: one and only chance
•Hire a professional surveyor for initial marks
•Transit, distance wheel and marking flags
•Marking lines
•Popsicle sticks, straws
•A good eye
• Over hill and dale
•The benefits of straight
rows… equipment,
aesthetic, etc.
Other Preparation Methods
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Planting Through Sod
Planting into Clean Strips
Plant Materials and Planting: 30 mins
Nurseries and Vines
•# of vines to order: replants
•Nurseries: NY vs. CA WA
•Trunk and plant disease and viruses
•Certified materials
•When to order: spring vs. fall
•Payment: down and payments
•What to order
•Species and varieties
•Clones
•Rootstocks
•Potted vs. bare root
•Dormant vs. green grafted
•Quality of materials and methods
•Inspect before planting
•Problems with new vines
•Delivery dates and methods
•Storing plants
Clones and Rootstocks
• Vinifera clones matter a lot to many wine makers
• They can improve quality, or not
• Rootstock selection is among the most critical decision you
will make, including for some hybrid varieties
• Match rootstocks to wine goals and soils
• Understand that new clonal and rootstocks plant materials
have particular issues
• Never let a nurseryman decide what you plant: it’s your
vineyard!
• Educate yourself and get good advice!
Grading and testing vines
Root pruning for machine
•When to plant
•Soil condition
•Inspect vines
•Preparing vines
•Root pruning
•How to plant
•The Hole
•Vine depth
•Auger vs. shovel
•Planting machines
•Water
•Fertilizer
•Mulch
Planting
The Way to Straight Rows
Laser Planting means straight and evenly spaced rows
Trellis Installation: 30 mins
The Trellis System
Materials
Installation Equipment
•Training Stakes
•Trellis Wire
•Wire Holders
•Fruit Wires
•Catch wires
•End Posts
•Earth Anchors
•Line Posts
•Cross Arms
•Wire Tensioners
•Wire Splicers
•Staples
•Post Pounder vs. Auger
•Safety Equipment
•Shear Pins
•Soil Tampers
•Shovels
•Spinning Jenny
•Wire Splicing Tools
•Come-Along
•Hand Tools
•Drill and Generator
•Measuring tape and stick
Trellis Construction
• Make it Last: Use only highest quality materials available for durability.
Correct installation is essential for longevity
• Wire - Galvanized, high tensile, coated, 12g fruit, 14g catch, fasteners.
• Posts – Line and End: steel vs wood? Diameter/gauge. Galvanized. Rolled
or T. Notch positions – will it do SH? Planting depth, tall enough to divide,
End Assemblies – strong but don’t over do it.
• Miscellaneous – training stakes, strainers, fasteners
• Right Equipment for Installation: driving posts and stakes, turning anchors,
running and splicing wire.
• Install before or after plants? Irrigation? Drain tile? Laser?
• Wire Positions: fruit 24-30”, catch wires – fixed and movable, 2 or 3 pairs
of catch wire, what type of post/stake holder? Irrigation wire at 12”
Install Trellis
• Steel line and end stakes: cost, gauge, notch type and
position, length (above and below ground for VSP/SH)
• Install: drive in, do not auger or use a vibrator
• Wire: high tensile, 200K test, safety glasses and gloves,
double nicopress, wire strainers, training stake and clip
• Use a spinning jenny, wire end in ground to hold it
• Nicopress or gripple properly and securely
• Use tensioners, don’t skimp
How to Install Correctly
• Drive posts, do not plant them
• Line posts: 2-3’ deep, 7’ above (divided). 15-20 feet between posts. All must
be same height – hedger, harvester.
• End posts: steel w/ spade or min 5-8”, 4’ deep
• Wire: use a spinning jenny to apply, splice correctly, leave enough length at
ends to work with
• Tie offs: double wrap with staple or wire vise on steel
• Anchors – screw in straight down with bobcat auger or steel bar or bury,
always to eye depth
• Anchor wires: white pvc tubes for visibility
• Strainers – only necessary on fruit wire carrying loads
Standard Vertical Shoot Positioning
End Assemblies – nothing fancy
but very strong.
New Vineyard Development
Black Ankle Vineyard, MD
Sustainable and Organic Wine Growing in the East
• Arid vs. humid region wine growing
• Lack of knowledge and experience in organic viticulture. No firm extension
recommendations on practices.
• Dogma/philosophy vs. viticultural reality
• Use sustainable viticultural practices
• The challenges – disease (black rot in particular), insects, weeds, etc.
• Take the slow approach. With each step there is greater risk
• Learn conventional, then adopt sustainable, test organic/biodynamic
• Natives and hybrids are more disease resistant
• Start on a small scale. A blended approach seems to work the best.
• Only best grower and best practices need apply
• Learn from others – Europe, California, Australia
• Eyes on the prize – fine wine!
Good choices at Black Ankle Vineyard in Maryland:
•Heavy gauge steel end posts and stakes
•Straight rows (laser planted)
•Coated, heavy gauge trellis wire
•Rolled steel training stakes
•Milk cartons for herbicide and rabbit protection
•Weed control
•Cover crop
•Good site – see rocks
•Dog (deer control)
•Vineyard manager
•Smart owners with lots of money
Information Resources
• Local and regional extension and research (hint: UMD,
Cornell University and Virginia Tech)
• Private consultants
• Your state wine and grower associations
• Books, magazines, journals and internet sites
• Other growers: go out and look at vineyards and learn, near
and far
• Wineries: your customers
Some Advice
• If you want to plant 10 acres, start with five
• Once you figure out your development costs, double them
• Do NOT take shortcuts or skimp on quality – labor, materials or practices
- it will always cost you more in the end, in both time and money
• Make sure you have the time, money and passion for a long term project
• Fill the knowledge gap: read and learn as much as you can through books
and meetings, use consultants, etc.
• Visit high quality vineyards, observe and understand, ask smart questions
and, if possible, work
• Not essential, but very helpful, taste benchmark wines of the type you are
growing/making
• Strive for QUALITY in the vineyard
Go to:
http://pawinegrape.com
to find all of the
presentations
in this workshop, and
much more!
Sign up for the Penn State
Viticulture e-newsletter on
PWGN
Destined to be Great Wine
Ripe Cabernet Sauvignon
on 35 year old vines at
Allegro Vineyards in York
County, Pennsylvania.