Grapevine Location Selection

Amazingly, grapevines planted only a few hundred feet away from each other can be polar opposites regarding its harvested fruit's sweetness and taste. Thousands of years of trial and error have taught grape growers the importance of finding that favorable site for the grapevine.

Grape growers must decide where they locate their vines relative to the limitations of their property boundaries. Within such, the winery must review and compare environment considerations such as:

daily sunlight duration
slope
altitude
frost
heat pockets
spacing

soil quality
rainfall trends
water drainage
wind
climate trends

Next, we will take a peak at various aspects of these and how they interconnect.

What is Best

The model site would have a gentle slope for good drainage. The site would not be near any woodland or overgrown areas, due to wildlife that eat grapes and damage vines. In addition, the vines should not be located near another farm that may be sprayed with grapevine damaging herbicides.

Keys

The most important element for site suitability is the likelihood of dangerously low spring or winter temperatures. Areas known for early spring/fall frosts, excessive or frequent temperature shifts, and sustained low winter temperatures should be avoided. This carries over to altitude, as frost settles in low-lying areas first and for longer duration. Eastern slopes dry faster in the morning following dew or rain, thus, reducing disease problems. North slopes will have later bud break in the spring, but will be colder in the fall. A south-facing slope is warmer, gets more sun, and generally performs better.

What's Underneath

Grapevines grow on a wide variety of soil types. Fortunately, grapevines are tolerant of what would be considered risky areas for other farming crops. The goal is to find a good balance between the correct amount of water retention, nutrient supplies, and acidity. As mentioned, an important soil factor is drainage, so any heavy clay or impervious soils are avoided. Grapevines are reasonably pH tolerate (pH from 5.5 to 7.5), but best prefer a slightly acidic soil with a pH of around 6.0.

Hold Your Hat

The grower must consider the wind as very windy conditions can lead to a higher number of broken canes and stems. Particularly with coastal wineries, they focus on choosing sites that are sheltered from any strong prevailing winds. In addition, wind carries damage causing herbicides and spores to travel long distances, so growers account for proximity to potential sources that could be delivered due to wind drift.

Room for Growth

Spacing does not have much effect on the quality of the grape, but it certainly does on quantity. Grapevines have a long lifespan and cannot be relocated once established. Therefore, careful consideration must be given to a permanent planting site and the varietals preferred spacing. A common spacing is six to ten feet, which provides ample room for growth and pruning. Required spacing of plants varies relative to their varietal.

Contributor: WineDefintions Staff Writer

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