Grape Grower's  Notebook October 20, 1999

Newbie's Nook

Good information is available in the Grape Grower's  Notebook for beginners. However, you are also going to need basic information  which is not provided here. This page offers a few suggestions, recommends a  book or two, and points you to other sites which have the resources that you  will need. In the process, if you find something useful, send us the URL so  that it may be listed here.

If you have not decided what you want to do with the fruits of your  labor (table grapes, jam, jelly, juice, wine, vinegar, arbor shade only, or  your donation to the local bird population), you should narrow your  investigation by making this decision early. There are differences in the  propagation and treatment of various grape varieties that will point you down  several alternative paths in the planning process. An idea of what you want to  accomplish makes it easier to end up on the right path (and, if you do want to  grow grapes for birds, they prefer the small red varieties).

If you are interested in starting a vineyard, for private or commercial  purposes, plan your vineyard knowing that every variety means a different  harvesting date and all of the logistics and management that must precede  harvest readiness. If you plan to sell to a winery, that probably means truck  rentals and delivery services in direct proportion to your number of varieties.  In other words, keep it simple until you are sure you want to make it more  complicated.

Internship

It's nice to feel wanted, and vineyards and wineries are always looking  for free help. You will learn planting, pruning, training and growing season  management by volunteering your services to another grower. No one "learns"  harvest, they just survive it. Even a hobby vineyard can provide the necessary  hands-on experience. You will benefit from the grower's experience and, in some  cases, from his/her mistakes.

Books and Downloads

Below are two books for aspiring growers that may be ordered from Amazon  at bargain prices from this page. The late Phil Wagner's book has endured the  test of time for aspiring vineyard operators. The Jeff Cox book is a twofer, providing excellent coverage of vineyard establishment and how  to make good wine with the fruits of your labor (Wagner divided these closely  related topics into two books). Both books are user friendly, well illustrated  and will serve as references that you will turn to repeatedly. Click on the  book jackets to arrange an order.

There are many downloads available, a few of which are clickable below.  All of the material aimed at commercial operations will be of interest and  value to planners of private, or hobby vineyards. Two links are available here  for aspiring back yard table grape growers.

• 1. Commercial Grape Growing in Maryland contains some cost  data and other valuable information that is not unique to Maryland. Most of the  data applies to commercial and hobby vineyards alike (35KB).
• 2. How to Plan a Commercial Vineyard by Foott & Wolpert,  University of California, Davis, (21KB) provides good advice on all of the  basic decisions.
• 3. At 127 pages, The Mid-Atlantic Winegrape Grower's Guide, makes a very hefty download in pdf format. However, it may be read at the site,  or ordered from NC State through the link provided here. The authors have  promised to organize the download by chapter, and this certainly would be  helpful.
• 4. The Grape Guru has a lot of basic information available on his  pages, including one entitled "Grape Growing Basics."
• 5. "Bunch Grapes in the Home Garden", another N.C. State page with a  self explanatory title.
• 6. If you are looking for a particular grapevine variety, and Lon  Rombough doesn't have it in his extensive catalog, he says he'll help you find  it.

Books and Downloads

Links to Resources

If you are interested in a specific wine grape variety, or one of the  many varieties that doubles as a table grape, try the Wine Grape Glossary link  on the home page.

The big schools of viticulture do not provide much for newbies on the  internet. Other universities have posted excellent pages for newbies. If you  know of another good site, please let me hear about it.
 

Links to Selected Internet Resources

Grapevine Propagation

You can propagate your own grapevines from cuttings. An excellent page  on this subject from the University of California Extension Service is  reprinted in the GGN. To visit, click here.
 

Nurseries and Suppliers
 

Based upon past experience, if we don't provide a few links in this  area, we receive email asking for them. So, it's easier to post them here.

This is an open list. We will add links to legitimate firms anywhere on  the globe if you make a request and provide the URL.

Some items used in the vineyard are appropriate for on-line sales.  Others items, such as vineyard posts are clearly not (unless you want to order  a truckload). Ask your local growers for supply sources.

The Orchard Valley site is brand new, and appears to be under  construction: use the email address they provide to request a catalog.

Nurseries

Suppliers

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