First year vines - Blue-X tube question

[JackH]

Hi all,
I am in year one of a 20-vine backyard vineyard (all are Vidal Blanc) planted April 1 of this year. I'm in southeast Pennsylvania. One of my vines has daylighted out of the blue-x Tube. I have not yet run my permanent trellis wires, figuring I'd wait and see if it would be necessary this season. With one out of the tube, and several others almost there, I will likely be installing the wires soon. Once the wires are in and the vine tendrils start affixing to the wires, the ability to remove the blue-x tube to spray will be much more restricted. So my question is: would it be better to just leave it on the vines for the rest of the season (and spray down the tube during spray sessions), or would it be better to remove the tube now? Another factor is being in SE Penna, we're dealing with spotted lantern fly, and I'm not sure if these tubes provide any additional protection from them. Any input appreciated!

 

[JackH]

 

[salcoco]

when I had a vineyard I kept the blue tube on until about august here in Kansas. this gave the vine time to harden off for winter. if needed to spray I just sprayed down the tube. the tube also kept the deer at bay as well as protected the vine when I spayed for weeds

 

[montanarick]

Don't use tubes on my young vines here in Montana. Our vineyard is fenced to keep out the larger critters and I put a cage of chicken wire around new plants to keep rabbits at bay. Hope this helps

 

[BigH]

What are the tubes protecting the vines from right now?

H

 

[sremick]

I tried tubes but then found trying to spray down them to be ineffective. It came down to choosing between tubes or getting rid of Japanese beetles. I chose the latter, pruned down to the ground this winter, and am foregoing the tubes this year.

Anyone need a bunch of blue tubes?

 

[VinesnBines]

I’ll take them! Our deer and rabbit population will decimate new vines if theY aren’t covered.

 

[sremick]

I’ll take them! Our deer and rabbit population will decimate new vines if theY aren’t covered.

Where are you located?

 

[VinesnBines]

Virginia. If you are in Vermont, too far to drive. If the tubes are used they are nearly impossible to take apart to mail.

 

[willowhomestead]

View attachment 62281

I had a similar question with our vineyard. We have issues with deer and gophers who decimate everything. Where did you get your tubes?

Love that there is a gnome guarding the vines

 

[jlann]

For adult deer we put up a double horse-tape fence. The outer fence has two strands, one at about 4 feet and one at 2 feet. The inner fence is about 5 feet from the outer, with a single strand at about 3 feet. The idea, and it seems to work pretty well with adult animals, is that deer have terrible depth perception and the double fence confuses them. We have a ton of deer around and this seems to protect our 7 acres of Vineyards pretty well. The caveat is, fawns are not confused at all and will just go under the fence. It's a problem in May/June for us. I will say it's not uncommon for us to watch 6 or 7 deer cross along the tree line 70 feet from the fence and not ever enter the vineyard rows. Works for us, your mileage may vary.