Backyard vineyard

[Codfish]

Hello everyone, I have a question I know one of you will know the answer to. I just received 20 cab Sauvignon vine cuttings that I am going to start rooting today.Planning on 20 more of a different variety.
So my question is which training system to use for the cab. vines, and what is the best medium for rooting the cuttings. I know I'm a ways off from worrying about a training system but I wanted to get everything ready..

 

[ChuckD]

A general use potting should would be fine for rooting medium. Bottom heat helps, as well as a dip in rooting hormone.

I know nothing of Cab Sauv training systems.

 

[Codfish]

A general use potting should would be fine for rooting medium. Bottom heat helps, as well as a dip in rooting hormone.

I know nothing of Cab Sauv training systems.

Thanks for the info Chuck, I found some seedling and cutting mix I am using and I dipped them in root boost.Theres a lot to learn about growing grapes so I have been watching Tom@viticulture videos. It sounds to me like midwife cordon with VSP is the one,,, I think,,,

 

[GSMChris]

Hi Codfish

I don’t have any experience with rooting cuttings but you might find this video interesting for creating the next round of plants:

https://willowcreekwineco.com/farm-updates-&-recipes/f/farm-update-3524-layering-vines

As for trellising Cab, what I see locally is cordon trained - either single or double armed - with VSP wires above. Single arm tends to be when plants are grown closer together.

I’ll be curious what you come up with on cuttings. Please keep us informed. There has to be a better way than just sticking an 18 inch long cutting in the ground and seeing what happens (I do see that approach a lot). Regardless of how you get them going, the universal technique seems to always include a grow tube to protect the bottom 24 inches of the plant for the first year.

 

[Codfish]

Hi Codfish

I don’t have any experience with rooting cuttings but you might find this video interesting for creating the next round of plants:

https://willowcreekwineco.com/farm-updates-&-recipes/f/farm-update-3524-layering-vines

As for trellising Cab, what I see locally is cordon trained - either single or double armed - with VSP wires above. Single arm tends to be when plants are grown closer together.

I’ll be curious what you come up with on cuttings. Please keep us informed. There has to be a better way than just sticking an 18 inch long cutting in the ground and seeing what happens (I do see that approach a lot). Regardless of how you get them going, the universal technique seems to always include a grow tube to protect the bottom 24 inches of the plant for the first year.

Thanks for the input, I watched the vid on layering the problem with that is I have no vines yet. I bought these cuttings from Grapes for Wine. I also made tubes from chicken wire to keep the pesky rabbits away, nothing happening yet as its only been two days since putting them in the tree pots. I have only grown grape vines over an arbor for shade and looks., only got grapes once after 20 years of growing, no pruning.

 

[GSMChris]

Welcome Dan.

Don’t slow play this, Just skip right to planting vines… it takes three years for a harvest you know

Thanks for the input, I watched the vid on layering the problem with that is I have no vines yet. I bought these cuttings from Grapes for Wine. I also made tubes from chicken wire to keep the pesky rabbits away, nothing happening yet as its only been two days since putting them in the tree pots. I have only grown grape vines over an arbor for shade and looks., only got grapes once after 20 years of growing, no pruning.

Yes - I understand you don’t have plants yet - that’s why I said the next round of plants. You will have some failures in your cuttings - if nothing else, the gophers will get their share. The layer approach might help next year in terms of filling in the gaps in your rows.

Grow tubes protect against rabbits and other vermin but also serve as a mini green house for your young plants and guard against herbicides getting on your plants. A couple of options:

Cardboard / aka Milk cartons which lack the green house benefit

https://orchardvalleysupply.com/collections/plant-training/products/vine-protectors

Or grow tubes

https://orchardvalleysupply.com/collections/plant-training/products/grow-tubes

Good luck!

 

[GSMChris]

Btw - on the trellis system - all you need for year one is a piece of rebar five feet long. Two feet goes in the ground, 3 feet sticks out. If you want to progress beyond that, adding end posts plus two wires, one at 15 to 18 inches (which carries the irrigation tubing) and the second at three feet (for the eventual cordons) will get you into year two.

If you decide to install the wires, substitute a T-post every roughly 15-20 feet instead of the rebar.

 

[Codfish]

Btw - on the trellis system - all you need for year one is a piece of rebar five feet long. Two feet goes in the ground, 3 feet sticks out. If you want to progress beyond that, adding end posts plus two wires, one at 15 to 18 inches (which carries the irrigation tubing) and the second at three feet (for the eventual cordons) will get you into year two.

If you decide to install the wires, substitute a T-post every roughly 15-20 feet instead of the rebar.

Thanks for the reply, I looked into grow tubes but read conflicting info on them, this is why I made chicken wire tubes, and I bought some bamboo stakes for the first year.

 

[Obbnw]

Thanks for the reply, I looked into grow tubes but read conflicting info on them, this is why I made chicken wire tubes, and I bought some bamboo stakes for the first year.

My first 20 vines had grow tubes, a few years later I planted 10 more without tubes. I felt like the ones with tubes did better but different variety, different year, different location...

After 3 more years they all look good but if I plant more I'll use the tubes again.

 

[Codfish]

My first 20 vines had grow tubes, a few years later I planted 10 more without tubes. I felt like the ones with tubes did better but different variety, different year, different location...

After 3 more years they all look good but if I plant more I'll use the tubes again.

Thanx for the info. I scrapped the chicken wire tubes as I think I will have a problem with the growth going thru them, I did buy some milk carton type things I think will work good.

 

[GSMChris]

Hadn’t thought about the canes getting snagged on the holes in the wire but that seems like a real risk / probability. Good move to switch.