Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
→ Addressing any nutrient deficiencies.
→ Controlling weeds and otherwise maintaining a good ground cover or cover crop.
→ Managing and treating fungal diseases.
→ Deterring vineyard pests, such as deer and other grazing animals, as well as insects
and soil pathogens.
IRRIGATION
During the first six weeks after planting, the vines need 1 gallon of water per day until
the roots are well set. After that, they need less and less water. Back off to every other day
for three weeks, then every third day for the rest of the first year. Calculate the amount of
water that the vines are getting based on your rainfall (if any), the emitter rate, and your
soil type. For example, if you have ½ gallon per hour (gph) drippers, you will turn on the
system for two hours to deliver 1 gal. of water. Use some judgment here and make sure
that the weather is warm enough to dry out the ground around the drippers enough so the
plants' roots are not always in wet soil. If you have a tensiometer, use it to evaluate the soil
moisture.
It is not necessary to water after the plants have become dormant. However, it is ap-
propriate to water in the first and second year after leaf fall. A second root growth begins in
the fall and continues for several weeks into the winter. So after the leaves have completely
fallen, if the soil is still dry, you should give a good dose of water to your vineyard, to allow
this root growth to flourish.
Second Year
What you are trying to accomplish in the second year (and the third year and thereafter),
is to have your vines' roots find, or struggle to find, their own water source in the ground.
You do this by being somewhat stingy with the water, but not so stingy that the shoot ends
do not grow, or the leaves look gray and the plant generally does not look healthy. Like-
wise, you do not want excessive shoot growth, which is recognized by large leaves, long
internodes, and excessive lateral shoot growth.
Grapevines are pretty drought-resistant, but if you do not give them enough water,
they will soon show signs of it. It's better to under-water your vines than to water them too
much. But don't wait long; if you're concerned, keep a daily eye on the vines for signs of
