Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
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101-14
: Average vigor with high phylloxera resistance. Tolerates wet soils but not
drought; needs irrigation in hot climates. Early bud break. Good for cold climates
and soils with low fertility.
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Riparia gloire
: Favored for vigorous sites; early ripening and short growing cycle.
Shallow roots best suited to deep, moist, fertile soils. Needs irrigation.
THE TRELLIS SYSTEM
The trellis system is the training and support system for your vines and also for the
irrigation system. Historically, vines were planted without any support system, with wide
spaces between vines, and without a supplementary water source. These were known as
dry-farmed vineyards. Nowadays, the trellis system is an essential key to a successful vine-
yard. It supports the vines as they grow, allows you to manage the canopy to maximize sun-
light to the developing fruit, and allows you to easily mow and maintain the space between
the rows.
In most areas of the world, the vertical shoot positioning (VSP) trellis system for train-
ing your vines has proven to be the easiest to construct and understand, the least expensive
for wine grapes, and compact enough for a small grower. It is widely used in commercial
vineyards, but can be adapted to the backyard, and small or large vineyards as well. You
can plant the rows as close as is practical, and the vines will get enough sun to allow the
photosynthetic process to produce fruitful grapes.
