The vineyard gets some tender loving care

Within three weeks of planting, green growth was emerging on the grafts.  Weeds were growing, too, of course.  In the very beginning, we cultivated the vines using an old tobacco cultivator.

We also pruned for the first time, nipping off all but two or three shoots, and any tiny bunches of grapes.

 

And that was just the beginning . . .

Anchors were placed at the ends of each row, augered in using a post hole digger attachment.

 

End and line posts were driven in using a vibrating pounder which the guys rigged up to a skid loader.

 

A pencil rod was placed at each vine.

The vine was fastened to the pencil rod with plastic banding.

We purchased a grape hoe to cultivate the growing vines.

The hoe has a sensor that detects the pencil rod and swings out around each plant, then back into the row.

 

Soon it was time to string the fruiting wire in each row. The wire is attached to the end posts and to each line post.

 

Each pencil rod is clipped to the fruiting wire.  And yes!  That's a level used to be sure each rod is straight.

These plants have been hoed and pruned again so that there is only one stalk remaining. It will become the main trunk for the maturing vine.

This is a picture of the young vineyard, carefully tended. For us it was a satisfying and beautiful sight!

Next:  Maintaining the vines.