Planting Instructions
The best time for planting your grapevines is after March 15th to the end of May.
When you are ready to plant, please contact us by email and/or by phone two weeks prior to shipping.
Unscheduled orders are non-refundable and therefore cancelled.
We will not ship any vines until you request them.
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PRE-PLANT CHECKLIST
♥ Acclimate your vines (warm them up slowly)
Your dormant vines have been stored in our warehouse at 35 degrees F. So, they need to be acclimated prior to planting. When you receive your vines, open the box and open the bag(s) inside. Keep them moist in the bag in the box. Keep the box in a cool shaded area like a garage, barn, or closet. Acclimate them for 5-7 days or until you see the buds start to swell or grow at the top of the vine.
♥ Pre-irrigate the vineyard
If the ground is dry, pre-irrigate the vineyard a few days prior to planting. There is no warranty for vines planted with no irrigation present.
♥ Rehydrate your vines.
Put your vines in a five-gallon bucket with the roots at the bottom and fill it with water. Let them soak here overnight before planting day.
PLANTING DAY
Dig a hole with a shovel. Don’t use an auger or any other method other than a shovel. Dig 12” to 18” deep and about 12” in diameter. Add some of the original soil (free from herbicide residue) back to the hole and tamp it down gently. When planting is complete the graft union should be at least 4 inches above the original soil line. Once the proper depth is achieved, fan the roots out like the spokes of a wheel at the bottom of the hole. Again, add some of the original soil into the hole and gently tamp down the soil. Repeat this step until the roots are covered. Then gently pull the vine upward a few inches so that the fanned out roots are now pointed downward in the shape of a cone or teepee and the graft union is 4” above the original soil line. Continue to backfill the hole and tamp the soil until the hole is filled.
Place a vine shelter over the newly planted vine and secure it to the wire or stake. Close the top. After a number of weeks when the vine reaches the top of the shelter, open the top of the vine shelter. Do this on a day that is not too hot and sunny so the vine does not get sunburned. The vine will continue to grow and emerge from the shelter.
IRRIGATION
♥ Water the vines right after planting to settle the soil and remove any air pockets around the roots.
♥ Water the vines every week keeping the roots of the vine moist but not saturated. As the vines grow, they will need more water, but maybe less often.
♥ Anticipate extremely hot weather with irrigation prior to the event.
♥ Monitor the root zone moisture around the roots of young vines. The best way to do this is to get out your shovel and dig a hole.
♥ The root zone should be kept moist at all times and should not dry out.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call us at (707) 894-1828 or email us [email protected].