New Maryland Vineyard

[Dustyfj]

We are in a dry spell in central Maryland. I’ve had to water the baby vines by hand a couple of times.(which takes ~5 hours) To avoid a third hand water, we spend Saturday cleaning out and repairing an older PTO sprayer we picked up second hand. I added a couple hose bibs to the back so we can water the soil without washing off all our herbicides.

It worked pretty well with my daughters watering the rows as the tractor keeps moving. I don’t see any size markings, but after a quick google, it looks like a 200 gallon tank? If we filled it to the top, we could give each new vine a drink without refilling.

 

[Dustyfj]

Full speed ahead in the afternoons getting wires going. The second year vines have grabbed onto the bamboo and have been pulling the bamboo out of the ground and falling over. If we can get at least the bottom wires hung, that should take care of the issue.

 

[ChuckD]

The second year vines have grabbed onto the bamboo and have been pulling the bamboo out of the ground and falling over.

Yep, I’m amazed how fast the second-year vines grow! I thought I’d have most of the summer to get the wires up but looks like I better get it done soon. After year one I switched from Bamboo to 1/2” rebar. Most vineyards here seem to use it for vine stakes.

 

[Dustyfj]

After year one I switched from Bamboo by to 1/2” rebar. Most vineyards here seem to use it for vine stakes.

Rebar is stronger for sure but probably
Cost prohibitive for me. Any issues with the rebar getting hot in the sun and burning tendrils?

 

[ChuckD]

Rebar is stronger for sure but probably
Cost prohibitive for me. Any issues with the rebar getting hot in the sun and burning tendrils?

I haven’t seen any. By the third year I imagine the vines shade it pretty well. I buy 20’ sticks and cut them in thirds.

 

[Dustyfj]

After a week away from the vineyard we returned to lots of growth and tall grass! Trying to get it under control this weekend.
Our third year cab sauv vines are really producing. Very exciting. Some of the second year vines had a number of clusters that we missed when pruning earlier in the season.
We definitely need to skill up with shoot selection earlier in the season.

 

[Snafflebit]

It looks like 100% fruit set on each cluster. Pencil rods are popular for vine stakes in California. It would be cheaper than rebar but longer lasting than bamboo, and there are clips made that will connect the lower trellis wires to the rods.

 

[GSMChris]

I also used rebar - I’m pretty sure mine is 3/8 or 1/4 Rather than 1/2. The local vineyard supply houses have pre cut pieces in bundles of 100. No signs of burning. I have the rebar attached to the cordon wire and the irrigation wire using little wire clamps. Went up really fast.

 

[Dustyfj]

Pulled all 849 grow tubes today in preparation for spraying later this week.

I picked up a sprayer from tractor supply and did some light modifications for the vineyard. I trashed the two plastic tips it came with and installed 4 brass ones. It seems to make plenty of pressure. (At least with water.

Right now I have the nozzles set with tie wire so I can adjust them up and down. I can also slide the vertical bars in and out to find optimal distance from the vines. I’ll mount them more permanantly once I know where I want them.

I should be able to spray from the air conditioned, cabin of the car using a hitch carrier. No more backpack sprayer and tyvek suit.

 

[Cynewulf]

Looking good! A friend of mine works for Montgomery County a bit south of you and the county just broke ground on Crossvines, which will be a custom crush facility available to Maryland growers: Grape growers, entrepreneurs, and wine lovers, Montgomery County has a place for you!. Sounds like it’s scheduled to finish in about two years - maybe around your first harvest!

FYI, for any Maryland growers, The Crossvines in Poolesville just had its ribbon cutting a couple weeks ago and looks set to open July 8. My friend that works for the county says they’re looking for growers that want to use the crush facility to get things moving. It looks like a beautiful campus. My friend showed me some photos of the equipment that looked really nice, but I haven’t been able to find them. Here is something from the ribbon cutting: New Wine Crush Facility, Events Venue Has Grand Opening in Poolesville.

 

[Dustyfj]

I am behind on some vineyard chores. But here is the current state:

 

[Hazelemere]

https://marylandgrapes.org/

 

[Dustyfj]

https://marylandgrapes.org/

We made it to the last couple of these. I have a scheduling conflict so I will miss this year.

 

[Dustyfj]

Trying to get caught up on grass and weeds. A few of the cab sauv and Sangiovese grapes are showing color. Very exciting for us!

 

[Dustyfj]

Push mowing between vines yesterday. Weeding and spraying this morning. Pic from last night

 

[GSMChris]

Beautiful!

 

[ChuckD]

Push mowing between vines yesterday. Weeding and spraying this morning. Pic from last night

View attachment 104432

What’s your row spacing? I think they make riders that would fit

And yes it is beautiful. My little vineyard is two years old and the vines are filling out nicely. Can’t wait for my first crop.

 

[ceeaton]

Very nice vineyard! I just realized you are about 1 1/4 hours drive south of me. Curious if you have seen any lanternflies yet? Wondering what they are suggesting to do to control them. This is the second year they are in my yard, they are infesting any maple or walnut tree (the younger growth). If I had some vines I have heard those are #2 on their favorite list behind the tree of heaven.

 

[Dustyfj]

Very nice vineyard! I just realized you are about 1 1/4 hours drive south of me. Curious if you have seen any lanternflies yet? Wondering what they are suggesting to do to control them. This is the second year they are in my yard, they are infesting any maple or walnut tree (the younger growth). If I had some vines I have heard those are #2 on their favorite list behind the tree of heaven.

We met an agricultural level 3 inspector from the MD dept of agriculture plant protection and weed management group at this years MGGA conference. She came out in February and did a survey for us. She identified one tree of heaven on the property and “less than a dozen” egg sacks that she scrapped off for us.

I think maybe I’ve seen one or two here. The one pictured below was at work just south of Baltimore.

 

[ceeaton]

Yup, that's an egg case for sure. If you only have one tree of heaven, they will probably suggest you leave it there as it will attract the bugs and eventual egg cases and hopefully they'll stay away from your grape vines, I'm hoping at least.

I work on a publication here in PA that I remember the initial quarantine back in 2014 and have watched them slowly spread over the whole state, so I never planted the vines in my back yard that I wanted to...

We are about to head into the annoying stage where they molt into the adults, they are just everywhere. Just walking down the driveway to get the mail they will fly here, there and everywhere, and inevitably onto your clothes or head and into the house. The dog does love to play with them, they don't seem to be poisonous to her or she'd be long gone by now.