End posts popping out of the ground

[wood1954]

After 7 years the end posts are about a foot higher than they were last year. The frost loosened up the soil and the poor design of my trellis allowed the post to come out. My solution was to remove the end posts and move them in a few feet and bury them deeper, put a plank on the anchor post and rerun the wires. Hope it works, what a pain, I hit a couple of 20 lb. rocks, broken horse shoe, metal straps. Juice buckets are looking like a good alternative. I still have 6 rows to redo.

 

[wood1954]

I’ve started redoing my trellis system and have discovered that small black locust logs rot out within 6 years. I’ve dug out some cedar posts and after 7 years they are pretty solid. The larger black locust logs are doing ok, they must have more chemicals in them. Going forward I’ll only use 6 or 7” diameter logs.

 

[Neb Farmer]

I use 6 inch posts on the ends of my rows , and I put them in the ground about 2 feet, leaning them away from the row a bit. My rows are short, only 30 feet long, and that seems to hold up to moderate wire tension. I pound steel t-posts in the ground about 10 feet apart to help support the lower wire, which seems to be where a lot of the support is needed. My lowest wire is about 3 feet from the ground, and I can tighten it up fairly snug without too much pressure on my end posts. Ther very top wire i only keep snug, but not fiddle-string tight, as I've found this puts a lot of leverage and pressure on the end posts, causing them to lean in to the row over time.
Anyhow, just sharing what has been working for me. I have had to replace only a few posts over the last 12 years, but i try to fill part of my post holes with small rocks to help with drainage.
Good luck with your vineyard...and your wine!

 

[ChuckD]

Only the heartwood is rot resistant. Small posts are mainly sapwood. Cedar too!

I think it’s a combination of post depth and design. With The pull you have the diagonal cross post is acting as a lever. Look up an “H” brace… a solid cross post at the top, and wire diagonal brace has less uplift.

 

[wood1954]

I think I did overtension my top wires last year. I’m still going to redo most of my end posts to make it easier to mow.

I use 6 inch posts on the ends of my rows , and I put them in the ground about 2 feet, leaning them away from the row a bit. My rows are short, only 30 feet long, and that seems to hold up to moderate wire tension. I pound steel t-posts in the ground about 10 feet apart to help support the lower wire, which seems to be where a lot of the support is needed. My lowest wire is about 3 feet from the ground, and I can tighten it up fairly snug without too much pressure on my end posts. Ther very top wire i only keep snug, but not fiddle-string tight, as I've found this puts a lot of leverage and pressure on the end posts, causing them to lean in to the row over time.
Anyhow, just sharing what has been working for me. I have had to replace only a few posts over the last 12 years, but i try to fill part of my post holes with small rocks to help with drainage.
Good luck with your vineyard...and your wine!

n