# Marquette grapes in Nevada



## sundevil (Sep 24, 2012)

Most wine grapes in Northern Nevada (Sierra foothills) in zone 5-6 are Frontenac. I would like to start a Marquette vineyard and can't find much info. What trellis system should I use, and can I space the grapes @5-6 ft. apart? To maximize grapes, I'd like to space the rows 4-5 ft. Will that pose a problem?

The area is arid (high desert), at 4,400 ft. elevation with hot winds and a short growing season. Lots of sunshine. No problem with mold, fungus, etc. Very little humidity when grape clusters would appear.

I would appreciate any info I could get. Also, can I grow Lemberger in this climate?


----------



## Deezil (Sep 24, 2012)

Cant offer much, just food for thought

Row spacing correlates somewhat with row height.. You dont want the height of one row to shade the next row over because they're taller than the rows are spaced

If you want a row spaced at 5ft, then you'll want to keep your rows under 5ft tall - ish.. Sometimes you can go a bit taller height wise because the bottom half of the grape vines are usually bare anyways but you dont wanna go so far as so shade the area where the grapes will hang

The trellis type will have to work with the row-height, which is tied to the row spacing... See where im going with this?


----------



## ibglowin (Sep 24, 2012)

I am successfully growing them at 6500ft so I would think you have a longer growing season than me at that elevation. Your going to need a good drip system and lots of organic to amend the soil a bit. Top wire cordon works well for this varietal.


----------



## grapeman (Sep 24, 2012)

Top wire cordon does work well with Marquette only I would not say it is the best choice everywhere. VSP works well in some areas, but might lead to surnburn there. Again here in the Northeast, I have found the best choice out of the 4 training systems in my trial has been my Modified Geneva Double Curtain by a landslide. It outproduced the VSP by 300% with brix very close and a much better acid content (lower TA and higher pH). It outproduced the Scott Henry better than 2 to 1 with much better sugar and acid levels. The closest competitor was the TWC (topwire). Mod GDC outproduced that by about 75 percent with comparable acid and sugars.

I have no idea if this would hold the same results in an arid climate, but it sure works here!


----------



## UBB (Sep 26, 2012)

The prevailing advice I've gotten from local growers in this part of the country regarding Marquette suggest VSP training.


----------



## grapeman (Sep 26, 2012)

It is funny that VSP is the prevailing advise given for them all over. All trials I have seen, VSP is the lowest yielding system for them and it does not control vigor at all. The fruit quality is no better either. TWC and others are a much better fit IMHO for what it is worth. By the way, my training systems trial is one of the largest in the country if not the largest involving Marquette. Everyone is free to draw their own conclusions for what works for them- for me, VSP is the last choice for me in the Northeast or other cold climates for Marquette.


----------



## UBB (Sep 26, 2012)

grapeman said:


> It is funny that VSP is the prevailing advise given for them all over. All trials I have seen, VSP is the lowest yielding system for them and it does not control vigor at all. The fruit quality is no better either. TWC and others are a much better fit IMHO for what it is worth. By the way, my training systems trial is one of the largest in the country if not the largest involving Marquette. Everyone is free to draw their own conclusions for what works for them- for me, VSP is the last choice for me in the Northeast or other cold climates for Marquette.



Interesting info. As for my Marquette, (I didn't put the vines in or build the trellis) I started with the 4 arm kniffen and am transitioning to top wire cordon.


----------

