UTV Instead of Tractor?

[bumblebeetuna]

I initially bought a sprayer with multiple spray heads sort of like the first mist sprayer, it didn’t work. The problem is the the spray does not penetrate the canopy enough to protect the crop. The second sprayer might work. If you are doing 2 1/2 acres, bite the bullet and get an air blast like the arbo 360 or similar model. It is the most expensive and most important piece of equipment you can have for your vineyard besides the tractor

 

[FutureFarm]

We have a couple of compact tractors we use (Kubota B7500 HST series). One has a front loader, so I must be careful when maneuvering between the rows, but both are used for everything we need in the vineyard (tilling/mowing/post holes/spraying).

What kind of sprayer do you use? How wide are your rows? How are you handling row middles? I've lived near Dayton OH and the weather and soil there is pretty similar to the weather where I'm considering putting my vineyard.

 

[Dennis Griffith]

I have a 15 gallon spray that fits on the back of a tractor that has an electric pump. I use a 5 foot wand to spray from the tractor.

Do to fungus issues here in the Ohio valley region, I space things out well for ventilation. The rows are set at 15 feet and the vines spaced at 7.5 feet.

The middles are grass mowed regularly. As you can see, I'm big on weed control and I mulch with untreated Cyprus mulch. These are first year vines, so I'm a stickler for no weeds. You don't have to be so picking after they get to maturity. I do use glyphosate, but use a roller applicator so that I don't have over spray. Really important for these first year vines.

I test the soil and prep the site a year in advance so that when spring comes, I just plant where I have the makers at. I run the wires later and just use a garden stake or bamboo stick at first. The stake stays til the vine is mature to aid in training the trunk.

 

[Bobp]

If you havent started prep yet- and you have the space- which it sounds like you do, then go with larger row spacing. I planted my muscadines and grapes at 13'. But wish id gone with 15'.

Id suggest you build and prep with the big tractors. More HP- theyll help it go faster.

We have sod middles on everything.

Search sprayers in this forum and youll find my verical sprayer build.
It works fine. I run an array of dual fan nozzel either 3 or 4 gpm. I run the pump up at 80-100psi run about 3mph and i get decent coverage. However i am activly working on blower ideas. Im not wanting to buy an airblast....but i may end up having to.

My spray tractor is a 90 model JD850 4wd. I picked it up for 3500.00... cheap enough... i ultimatly see me having 3 spray tractors
We have ATVs and UTVs also.
You can get by without a small tractor but theres no real reason to.
I have a little Kubota L185 i gave $500.00 for. Had to rebuild the injector pump but it would run a small spray rig no problem.

 

[Bobp]

As far as how much to start with....that depends on you...i tend to over do things and keep my plate full.
We have 12+ acres of small fruit planted.....and i work 45-60 hours a week as an electrical PM.

It would be near impossile without my sons help....and My wife and daughter do more than their fair share....

 

[GEM]

Air last is the way to go if you can afford it. What does that unit run? There are a number of manufactures. Also, a backpack airblast from Stihl or Solo is a lest costly option.

 

[VillaVino]

I agee with most of what was said in the previous posts. This is what I did and should have done.
All rows are 10’ wide. 11’ would have been better. Make sure you have enough head room at the end of the rows to turn your tractor with a sprayer on the back. 18’ between posts with 6’ spacing between vines. 8’ would be better but I am limited on space. Older tractors don’t have live PTO. I have a 1980 JD 850 rear wheel drive w/o live pto. Make sure you get live pro. It will help with the types of sprayers you use. Mowing without it is a pain. Air blast sprayers would be great but expensive. Thinking about making something this winter using sprayers, flex hoses and a high power leaf blower. If you have high vigor, a hedger attachment will be needed once you get over 3 acres. I have a gas powered trimmer on an extended pole that hangs off a backpack balancer to hedge. I have to hedge at least 3 times a season. Vineyard down the road just bought a side hedger and it changed his life he said. He took me for a ride and I can see what he means. They are not cheap but time is money in this case. You can hedge several acres in a day and that beats doing it manually every day for a week or so. I used to spray glyphosate under each row that left 3’ on each side. I’ve narrowed that down to about 1.5’ on each side now. As stated above, it helps with vine vigor. Made a detachable, spring loaded boom for the front of my zero turn and pull a 25 gal sprayer for roundup.