subject: 4 Tips on How to Produce the Best Grapes [print this page] 4 Tips on How to Produce the Best Grapes 4 Tips on How to Produce the Best Grapes
Production of the best grapes is at the heart of every vineyard owner. Who else does not want to produce healthy vines that are best suited for eating or wine making purposes? In order to do this, there are four things that every grape planter should consider.
Soil requirement
It will do you more good if you have a soil sample test first. The ideal properties of a vineyard soil is from 5.5 to 6.8 pH level, with 3% organic content. A sampling analysis will help you determine the phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, zinc and boron content level of your soil. Corrective measures can be done right at the start to create an ideal foundation for your vineyard
Don't worry if there's some mineral deficiency in your soil for it can resolved by the addition of composts or fertilizers. It is a lot easier to add to the nutrient content of the soil rather than to subtract excess substance from it. The quality of your land is a major factor in producing the best grapes. Generally, a moist, loose, loamy and rich in organic matter is the ideal soil type.
Winning cultivar
Choosing the right cultivar is a crucial key in the production of the best grapes. Make sure that your cultivar is suited to your area's climate and growing season.
The most notable among the red varieties are Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah/Shiraz, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.For the white grapes, you may choose from Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc.
Also take into consideration the fruit and vine characteristics of your cultivar. The vine should be adapted to your area's growing condition and the fruit must meet your market standards or needs. It is also beneficial if you conduct a survey first from the local vintners to know of the most common varieties they plant and their success level.
Climate
Although grape vines thrive well in places like California, with the 5000 cultivars to choose from you can now grow grapes wherever you are in the world. Extreme weather condition is no longer a problem once you know the best grape varieties suited to your area.
Quebec has harsh climate but people there can produce grapes. They use Vidal and Seyval, some of the hybrid varieties that thrive well in cold places.
A little research and legwork will do you more good in the selection of best grapes suited to your climatic condition.
Some of the cold climate cultivars that you can use are Alden, Alpenglow, Aurora, Beta, Bluebell, Clinton, Concord-the most widely grown in the USA, Delaware and Jupiter.
Growing season
Growing season in many places are shorter than others. Well then, this poses a problem, because the frost -free days is the optimum time for the grapes to thrive well.
If the growing season in your area is short, use the hybrid varieties because they have been designed to last through cooler climates. Being fortified they are also said to have been more disease resistant.
Many farmers use many frost avoidance methods to cope with the short growing season. Some have employed the use of alginate and double pruning or leaf removal to hasten the ripening of fruits. The use of fertilizers can also increase the health and improve and hasten the vine's fruiting and ripening ability. Proper trellis management technique can also aid in frost avoidance and is said to shorten the ripening period of fruit also.
While these are the very basic techniques in growing the best grapes, there are more to it such as proper pruning and trimming practices, disease prevention, trellis management, layout design, drainage system and maintenance of the vineyard itself. More coming up in my next article.
