havlikn,
Love the post - very interesting reading and seeing all of your progress and additions. Last May, I planted my first rows of vineyard (Foch and Marquette), and added to that this year and am up to a measly 144 vines on 4 rows. Located in central Wisconsin (near Portage), I went through the wild ride of this spring's temperature fluctuations, but only lost around 10% of first years planting (i.e., around 5 vines).
Question, from the picture it appears you train to the top wire? I am significantly lacking the full education and knowledge at this point, but am reading quite a bit (books, online, etc.), and am interested in your take (and anyone else's) on training and pruning system for these cold-hardy hybrids. It's all confusing to a newb, because I read differing reports. Cane vs spur/cordon, top-wire cordon vs. mid-wire VSP. How does one decide on which systems to use? What is the best resource, including imagery, on how to actually train and prune properly? For my vines which I planted last year (around 50, 45 of which made it), I want to ensure I properly train them, prune them, and get them ready for fruit set. As of now, I've been letting them grow around a 6' bamboo stake, protected by grow tubes. But, they're really taking off and I'm not sure what I should be focused on in my 2nd year of growth. Any insight would be much appreciated.
Thank you,
Zach