Goldseal's Micro-vineyard

[goldseal]

Hmmm.

I'll get the crayons out and try to come up with something workable.

[goldseal]

The best I can come up with is 2 rows of 3, with only 1.5m between rows (working on the theory that 3 per row will give everything a bit more space and air than 4 per row).

Do you think it would be worth lowering the front row to give the back row more sun / air?

[ms67]

are you talking about splitting the space and making the back part/row a "very" raised bed? if so i reckon that sounds like a great idea, i'm no expert with vines but that would certainly give more light all-round, and probably air too (is that to prevent mildew type stuffs?)

nice one with 'finding' the space!

[goldseal]

That's what i was thinking of, yes. However I'll wait for the opinions of those with more experience of these things than me before proceeding.

[NorthernWiner]

Regarding orientation, I have four rows of vines in my yard. Two run E-W, the other two run N-S. I don't notice any difference whatsoever in the ripening times.

I would run two rows parallel to the fence with 4 vines in each row, spaced at 1.5m. If need be, you could possibly squeeze 5 vines in, depending on the vigor of the varieties you're planting. Even vigorous vines will adapt themselves to the area they are given if you are diligent about pruning. For example, I grow two very vigorous varieties, and have them spaced at a little more than 1.5m. It sounds tight, but being the considerate neighbors that they are, they've adapted to grow more upward than outward and don't crowd each other much.

Are you only confined to the space where the hedge was previously, or are you able to migrate out a bit into the grassy area as well (which would mean either moving the missus' washline, or using it as a trellis )?

The reason I mention this is because, if possible, you may want to bring the first row out away from the wall a bit. The farther out you can bring it, the more hours of morning sun it will catch, in addition to the afternoon sun.

For what it's worth.

[goldseal]

Thanks Steve, more food for thought (or is that food for indecision? )

[lockwood1956]

The reason I mention this is because, if possible, you may want to bring the first row out away from the wall a bit. The farther out you can bring it, the more hours of morning sun it will catch, in addition to the afternoon sun.

For what it's worth.

Hmmm#

interesting stuff, the perceived wisdom (in the UK ) is that if you grow them close (within 6") of the wall, they will benefit from the radiated heat of the wall.....something that is beneficial at these Northerly climes...(I am at 53 deg North...Pete is likely at 52)

you are much more southern, and although you get "killer" frosts ion winter, you do get huge amounts of Sunshine hours in summer

Interesting that you dont have differences in E-W and N -S rows


Isn't this hobby great....just when you think you have a handle on things.........

[NorthernWiner]

I hadn't heard that wall theory before. Maybe it's because most of our neighborhood walls here are made of wood, which, unlike stone or brick, don't radiate much heat.

I'm sure heat plays a part, but from what I've been told, full sunlight on the leaves is essential to ripening fruit because it manufactures chlorophyll, which in turn breaks down to form the enzymes that cause fruit to turn color and soften.

I had to laugh a little when you mentioned "huge amounts of sunshine hours" at my latitude (I'm at about 44° N, by the way). That's exactly what we say here about the people who live in Florida or Texas. I guess it's a perspective thing.

[Richard S]

Get rid of some of that manky grass and get another row or two in.

[Duffbeer]

Get rid of some of that manky grass and get another row or two in.

That's what I like, straight to the point

[goldseal]

I might need to steal a bit, but Mrs Goldseal might get a bit upset if she suddenly finds her washing line is in the middle of a vineyard

[james]

I'd move the washing line a bit, and have two rows of 4 vines like northern winer suggests. One row trained to wires on the wall, one row right on the edge of the lawn.

Dont know what type of vines you have, but some (like Rondo) have a floppy growth habit and suit a high training growth style. So the cordons sits at about 5 ft high, running along a taught wire, then the fruiting canes fall downwards from this wire. The fruit sets at the top of the vine rather than the bottom, so gets a good amount of light. This could help your problem of shading due to close row spacing.

[goldseal]

The fence bloke can't do anything until the 28th at the earliest, so that gives me plenty of time to dig it all over, and generally prepare the area.

More later.

[goldseal]

... much later

I haven't had any time to work on the patch until today. With only a couple of days to go until The Fence Bloke arrives, it is time to dig away the earth around the old fence (because 2ft of it was buried).

Easy.

Not quite.

This is the result of several hours' digging, forking and hitting with pickaxes. Most of the roots are out of the ground, but there is one biggie to go.

Because I'm hopelessly unfit, I'm now sat down watching the cricket, and the pickaxe will come out again tomorrow (unless someone has a small nuclear device they can lend me).

[NorthernWiner]

From one unfit person to another, a reciprocating saw makes fast work of thick roots.

"The Fence Bloke." I love it.