Removing vines

[VillaVino]

Hello,
I am thinking about removing a couple rows of vines and planting more of a variety that is more suitable, hardy and less disease prone. When is the better time, fall or spring and what method proved best for those who have done this? The vines are 3 years old. Do I just wrap a chain around the base and give it the old heave ho or do I take the auger and just drill out. Looking for suggestions. Thx

 

[efBobby]

Out of morbid curiousity what kind/variety of vines are you removing?

Are they on their own roots or root stock? If so which root stock?

I'd say give them the heave and shade out whatever comes back.

 

[VillaVino]

The hybrid Brianna. They have their own roots. I have a total of ~350 and 50 of them are the 3 year olds. They are a needy grape variety and I spend much more time on these than the other types.

 

[efBobby]

Wow!

 

[salcoco]

their roots can be over 8 ft long and deep. pulling with a chain is best. Have you thought about grafting? there is quite a bit on the web about doing grafting that would help.

I would pull out during fall or winter and ready ground for new plants this spring.

 

[VillaVino]

their roots can be over 8 ft long and deep. pulling with a chain is best. Have you thought about grafting? there is quite a bit on the web about doing grafting that would help.

I would pull out during fall or winter and ready ground for new plants this spring.

 

[VillaVino]

Thx. I was leaning in this direction. It will have to be spring. I’m afraid winter has arrived in west central Wisconsin.

 

[sour_grapes]

If you wrap the chain around an old auto rim/wheel, you redirect the force from lateral to upwards.

And yes, winter is here, as I watch the snow fall this morning!

 

[BigH]

I ripped out my Foch by digging a few inches below the trunk and wrapping a chain around as many laterals and the trunk as I could. Then I ripped the vine out with the side by side. Cleaned up by pulling up as many roots as I could, which wasn't too bad in my sandy soil. Did it all in the spring right before planting the replacements. Never saw any sign of the Foch coming back, but I'm not sure how much of it survived that brutal winter.

H

 

[VillaVino]

Thanks. I was leaning in this direction. Bought a log chain a couple months ago and will use my 3-pt to lift out and pull. With the air temp down to 4 F last night, I think this will be a spring project.

 

[Masbustelo]

Why not graft on to them? They will come back into production sooner.

 

[montanarick]

I'm thinking about replacing some or all of my Frontenac by grafting something else onto the trunk - will save several years of new plant maturing