Grapes and Vineyards

Nicki WalkerSouth Nodaway

Winter Intersession 2005AGE 518

Objective

• The students will be able to identify characteristics of and techniques for growing grapes.

Requirements for Grape Production

1. A growing season of at least 140 frost-free days.

2. A site with full sunshine and good air drainage.

3. Soils that are neither waterlogged nor shallow, at least 3 feet deep.

4. Willingness to spray for pest control.

5. Patience to wait three to four years for vines to reach maturity before cropping.

6. Annual pruning of vines.

Vineyards

Types of Grapes Grown

1. Old World Types• Grown in California and some southwest regions• Used for wine and table

2. Muscadines• Grown in southern regions• Used for wine and table

3. American and French-American• Grown in humid regions• Tolerant of diseases and insects• Used for Midwest regions• Grown for wine, table, and processing

Starting a Vineyard• Plant wines in the spring.• Plant vines at about the same height they were grown in the

nursery.• Cut top back to 2 to 3 buds.• After these buds break and new shoots begin to grow, remove all

but the most vigorous and straight shoot.• Support systems.

– 4 cane kniffen– Geneva double curtain

• General considerations for support systems.– Bracing– Set posts no more than 20 feet apart– Use 11 or 12 gauge smooth galvanized wire– Lowest wire should be 30 to 36 inches above the ground

Kniffen System

Geneva Double Curtain

Pruning and Thinning

• Pruning is conducted during the dormant season.– Fruiting canes are trained outward along

trellis wires.– Portions of or whole fruiting canes are

removed.

• Cluster thinning is conducted to remove additional excess grape bunches to balance the fruit load.

Pruning (Start to Finish)

Harvesting

• Table Use– Good flavor– Blue grapes lose their red color– White grapes change from green to golden yellow– Ripe berries will soften and seeds become brown

• Wine Use– Experience– Acid and sugar levels measured with special

instruments

Harvesting

Evaluation

1. List the basic requirements for grape production.

2. What type of grape is generally best suited for Midwestern growing conditions?

3. What is the grower’s objective for the newly set grape plant’s first season of growth?

4. Describe cluster thinning.

Additional Information

• http://www.missourigrapegrowers.org/hu1.shtml

• http://www.vesta-usa.org• http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/agg

uides/hort/g06090.htm• http://www.ipmcenters.org/cropprofiles/doc

s/mograpes.html• http://library.smsu.edu/paulevans/enology/

enology5.shtml