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Starting A Vineyard


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#1 galen1115

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Posted 23 May 2010 - 05:53 AM

Hi everyone, I'm galen and located in Missouri. Started a 4 acre vineyard this spring. Will start the winery process later. I'll be asking a lot of questions. Thanks in advance.

#2 DesertDance

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Posted 23 May 2010 - 06:03 AM

Galen, Welcome to the forum, and good luck with your vineyard!
Suzi

#3 Hammered

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Posted 23 May 2010 - 10:04 AM

We'll enjoy following your process. Welcome to the forum!!!
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#4 PEL

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Posted 23 May 2010 - 10:24 AM

Just curious. What did you plant, row spacing, vine spacing etc.
4 acres is quite a bit so you must have gotten some input before planting. I am sure we are all interested and can learn from each other.

#5 galen1115

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Posted 23 May 2010 - 07:50 PM

Just curious. What did you plant, row spacing, vine spacing etc.
4 acres is quite a bit so you must have gotten some input before planting. I am sure we are all interested and can learn from each other.


OK, 1 acre of Chambourcin, 1 acre of Vignole, 3/4 acre of Cayuga White, the remainder in St. Vincent, and Cynthiana. The day we were planting a guy was also planting a one acre vineyard. He called and ask if I wanted to do a trade. I also planted blackberries, (Triplecrown). We traded blackberries for Traminette. Just one row for kicks. They are the only ones that were grafted. Row spacing on the blocks are 9 feet between rows and plant spacing of 8 feet. The Cynthiana is on GDC but I screwed up on the row spacing of 9 feet. I'm also using grow tubes. My extension agent does not like grow tubes. He says that they promote disease. (warm and wet) I on the other hand see almost everyone using them. I had no time to debate the use of them so I got them. I think I'm going high wire on everything but the St. Vincent and Vignole. The single hardest thing for me was cutting all the plant growth off back to 2-3 buds. Some of the vines had 10-14 buds breaking with leaves . Again my ext. agent said to use the lowest buds on the vine. Damn hard to cut all that off. If I left something out just ask. I'll be glad to answer. Posted Image Posted Image

#6 Wade's Wines

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Posted 24 May 2010 - 06:41 AM

Galen,
Welcome to the Forum.
Beautiful vineyard! Consider yourself busy!
Great post driver!
The triple crown is a great producing blackberry. It roots every where it touches the ground though, just something to be aware of.
The Vignole has been finicky for me and a slow grower, but at 4 years I think they'll be worth it. Don't expect them to keep up with the others though. The traminette beside them in my vineyard makes them look stunted, but they're just vignole following their natural growth rate.
I love my Chambourcin and wish I had a full acre of them, and I'm very happy with my 100 Cynthiana as well.
I think you'll be happy with all these. I have no experience with the Cayuga or St. Vincent.
Spray early, regularly and often!
Best of luck!
Wade
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#7 bret

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Posted 24 May 2010 - 09:22 AM

Congratulations on your new vineyard. Welcome to the forum, Galen. smileytoast.gif -Bret
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#8 Myzootwo

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Posted 30 May 2010 - 05:18 PM

Looks beautiful! I'm insanely jealous. Although we have acreage, it is all hilly and wooded except for the half acre flat directly over our septic, so I will continue to make fruit wines and live vicariously through you guys! I wish you all the best...
Cathy
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In the secondarys: Blueberry/Pomegranite, Cherry/Pomegranite, cranberry, Skeeter Pee
Bottled: Skeeter pee, Cranapple, Pomegranate tea/clover/panax ginseng leaf, Blackberry/elderberry, cherry, cherry/berry mix, passion fruit, blackberry, elderberry, elderflower, elderberry blush, coffee, spiced apple, plum, blackberry blush, white grape/peach from concentrate, white grape raspberry from concentrate, apple (pressed fruit, concentrate, juice & cider) , skeeter pee, strawberry, green tea, hard iced tea, banana, jalapeno and probably a bunch more I forgot :)

#9 galen1115

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Posted 01 June 2010 - 08:25 PM

Looks beautiful! I'm insanely jealous. Although we have acreage, it is all hilly and wooded except for the half acre flat directly over our septic, so I will continue to make fruit wines and live vicariously through you guys! I wish you all the best...
Cathy


I also love parrots Cathy. I have a Panamanian female. Her name is Kona.

#10 JLauder

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Posted 10 June 2010 - 08:37 AM

Hi All! I'm new to the game and have only made a few wines from kits. I have 50 vines that are 4 years old and I'm hoping this year will be the year to finally make wine from my vines. I too am very gealous, but wish you the best of luck. I look to venture into the commercial side of this hobby soon. I have no idea where to start, but it will be an adventure nonetheless.

#11 galen1115

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Posted 11 June 2010 - 06:57 AM

Hi All! I'm new to the game and have only made a few wines from kits. I have 50 vines that are 4 years old and I'm hoping this year will be the year to finally make wine from my vines. I too am very gealous, but wish you the best of luck. I look to venture into the commercial side of this hobby soon. I have no idea where to start, but it will be an adventure nonetheless.


Feel free to PM me or email me. I'll help you with what I did and why. There are many on here that have years of experience and great knowledge base. I read posts for months to gain information on the way different areas do things differently. One piece of advise. Don't try to reinvent the wheel. Stick with the recommendations.

#12 Howie

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Posted 11 June 2010 - 10:20 AM

When you finally start harvesting grapes and making wine from them, I have a suggestion. Make a wine that is a blend of 2-3 parts Cayuga and 1 part Vignoles. That blend has amazing Riesling-like characteristics. A local presshouse used to make this blend after I suggested it to them - they called it "Liebfraumilch Blend".
Howie Hart

#13 Chano Aguayo

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Posted 15 June 2010 - 09:23 PM

Welcome to the Forum. If you have any questions on pruning and training vines, I can help too. Unfortunately i am not familiar with the varieties you grow or those other members from the midwest or east coast grow. However, the basics for training and pruning vines are general. Thanks.

Chano
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