Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Raccoon, Rats, and Opossums
These animals pose little danger to shoots and leaves, but they will go for the fruit, es-
pecially when it is ripe. Foxes and coyotes are also said to poach grapes in some areas. Your
best means of control for these animals is a fence—although raccoons are good climbers.
Traps may be your only recourse for habitual offenders.
Gophers and Voles
Gophers are very damaging critters in a vineyard. They move over ground at night and
often arrive in the vineyard when there are large, lush clumps of weeds with big roots. The
water from the drip system often attracts gophers during dry periods. They dig burrows un-
der the vines and can eat away young vines from the roots. Sometimes you do not even
know it until the vine literally collapses. In addition, they will sometime gnaw on under-
ground irrigation pipes, causing expensive and frustrating damage.
Keeping down weeds can help to prevent these burrowing pests, but if you live in an
area with gophers the most you can hope for is control, as I do not believe you will ever
eliminate gophers. I use standard gopher traps as the main methods of control.
Owl or other raptor perches or boxes are also good additions to the vineyard, as many
feed at night and get the gophers while they are out of their holes. Perches and boxes can
be found at agricultural stores or in organic garden topics or stores. I have six owl boxes
positioned around my vineyard, built specifically for barn owls. A barn owl family can eat
several dozen gophers and other rodents per night.
Birds
Birds are beautiful in the vineyard (and can be beneficial for the rest of your garden)
but not when you have a crop of ripe grapes. Birds eat grapes, and the more birds you have
the more grapes you will lose. During the period before ripeness, they will not spend a long
time in the vineyard, but as the grapes ripen, you will see them stay around longer. I find
starlings the worst, but there are many birds that will feast on your vineyard. Even wild
turkeys can enter the vineyard and peck at young shoots and, especially, fruit. Evidence of
their interest in your ripe grapes will be broken berries and half-eaten bunches. Vineyards
located near large stands of trees tend to attract more birds than areas with few trees. Bird
populations vary from year to year; one year you may not have a serious problem and the
following year your crop could be under serious threat.
