Nursery Products & Services
Grow Tubes
- Planting Zones
& Available Varieties
The links below take you to a list of
varieties and rootstocks along with some other information.
They are compiled from Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas
research along with several other sources. Red highlights are
the proven American and hybrid varieties, yellow are the
highly recommended, and blue are the recommended for large
trial, while the green are for experimental. Except
Seyval Blanc which I wanted to
point out that the winter damage ranking was actually 3.8,
somewhat low for a hybrid. But it produces 60-80% of its
production from secondary buds, along with others noted. If
you are interested in purchasing, please let me know.
Especially if I do not currently carry what you want. It takes
1-3 years to start vines into nursery stock. In the second to
last column I have a "1" for the plants I should have cuttings
($1) available for in the Spring. I have
rooted cuttings (starting at
$2.50) and grafted upon request in advance (potted, green,
starting at $4.50). I have an agreement with Novavine for
dormant bare root vines, but they are only available locally.
I may have dormant grafted vines available in the future.
My selection is now over 100 varieties
indicated in the spreadsheets below and will continue to grow.
I've added to and rearranged the spreadsheets, three of them
within three different files. Lubbock,
TX is Southern 7a and
Stillwater, Ok is 6b. I've changed the color coding
recommendations to three spreadsheets zone 6b, 7a, and 7b.
I've also added what I believe is Plantet to the research
list. Some may notice I didn't recommend Syrah; or, didn't
highly recommend relatively cold hardy vinifera like Cabernet
sauvignon or Chardonnay in 7a: That's because in the Northern
part of 7a and poor Southern 7a sites there was a great deal
of winter damage. Mind you, we have a
continental climate (extreme temperatures and sudden
shifts) with late frosts on average 2 out of 5 years
(depending on location). I think this is a problem we will
continue to see and it will increase the chance for crown gall
and other problems. So, I cannot with good conscience
recommend them. Will they grow for 10 years and make 8 years
out of those 10, maybe on a good site. I can make
recommendations to minimize your chances of winter damage, so
contact me. Make sure you have a
market for whatever you plant.
The PDF link will open in a new window, you can save it to
your computer, view it online or print it for later reference.
Grape Varieties and Zones
Cold and Frost Protection Tips
a few grafted plants under shade cloth for
acclimation": |
Why green growing benchgrafts are better:
- You have a healthy root system fully intact at
planting time, instead of losing all the rootlets.
- Plant directly from the container to the field
with little root disruption.
- Grown in non-soil media, rather than field
digging. So no pruned roots and no chance of
nematodes or other pest transmission by soil.
- Easy handling at planting, 4x4x10" pots.
- Successful planting year round, however,
Summer can be very stressful in hot, dry, years.
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Vineyard Grow Tubes
Our grow tubes shelter grape
vines from drying winds and excess sunlight, so they stay
actively growing more of the time. Grow tubes save labor
costs on vine training and weed control. But the real payoff
comes when you’re picking grapes 1 year sooner than before!
We offer double walled/insulated plastic
tubes with an exclusive peach color which provides the optimal
ratio of light wavelengths for thick stems and strong roots.
Made in the USA! (minimum 100).
These tubes offer:
3.5" diameter and 30" height
Removable
and reusable
side-opening access for pruning and weeding
Vine-safe weed control
Protection from animals
Virtually eliminate costly re-plants
Help to train vines
After one growing season, vines
typically have:
70% more stem and root dry weight
Thicker more mature stems
Fully trained cordons
Balanced
root-to-shoot ratio to sustain early and larger crops
Possibility of picking first commercial crop one year sooner
This is possible by dramatically reducing moisture and light
stress the planting year.
I speak from personal experience when I
recommend using grow tubes, after planting in the hot dry
summer of 2006. I also require them as part of my nursery
guarantee as do most nurseries.
I have been asked when
should you apply and remove the grow tubes. They should be
applied in the spring when planted. Be aware, if it is it
humid they will require fungicide applications into the tube.
Last year mine were infected with powdery and downy mildew,
and unbeknown-est to me phomopsis. This spring several are
coming up from the ground and some maybe not at all because of
the phomopsis. I sprayed late (too late) after removing the
grow tubes, but the phomopsis must have returned.
The grow
tubes should be taken off around the first of September when
the weather cools or we have significant rains. This allows
the vine to harden for the winter; and, prevents extra warming
during the day and cooling to normal temperatures at night (if
the tubes were left on).
The next spring, reapply when and if it
is not to wet and weed control is needed.
Q: What are the
benefits of using grow tubes?
A: Grow tubes offer grape growers
several time- and money-saving benefits*:
1) Faster establishment of
balanced, healthy vines – Grow tubes – good quality, large
diameter grow tubes – accelerate the growth of both stems and
roots, resulting in an increase of total vine biomass.
This means:
2) Protection from herbicide spray
makes weed control – the biggest challenge to Midwestern and
Eastern grape growers – faster, easier, and more effective –
No searching for vines amidst the weeds, no herbicide or
mechanical cultivator damage to vines. For commercial growers,
grow tubes dramatically reduce labor costs. For hobby growers
with a limited number of man-hours to devote vineyard
maintenance, grow tubes are indispensable.
3) Reduced vine training costs –
Grow tubes automatically train vines to grow upward toward the
cordon wire, saving several trips through the field to train
vines. Again, this reduces labor costs for commercial growers
and allows hobby growers to use their limited time for more
productive activities – like weed control!
4) Protection from animal
predation – Grow tubes protect newly planted vines from deer,
rabbits and other rodents.
5) Increased vine survival
under windy or drought conditions – Grow tubes – good quality,
large-diameter grow tubes – reduce the moisture stress on
newly planted vines, resulting in very high survival rates.
This dramatically reduces the number of replants necessary.
Replants are extremely expensive because their care and
maintenance needs (weed control, training, spraying, etc.) are
out of sync with the rest of the vineyard, and of course
replants reduce the productivity of the vineyard until all
vines reach maturity.
* These benefits
result only from the use of large-diameter, high quality grow
tubes.
Q: What are the
features I should look for in a grow tube?
A: Below I have listed four important
features you should be looking for in a quality grow tube
1) Circular shape. Triangular and
square designs absorb more heat at certain times of day when
the sun’s rays are flush with a flat surface of triangular or
square tubes. With a circular tube only a small portion of the
tube is ever facing the sun’s rays directly, reducing the
absorption of heat.
2) 3.5 inch diameter. Research
shows grow tubes that are 3.5 inches in diameter dramatically
increase total vine biomass production. Tubes of 3.5 inches in
diameter produce 70% more total vine biomass, with thicker
stems, and balanced root/shoot ratios.
3) Opens from the side. Grow tubes
are left in place until after the vine is trained to the
cordon wire. A well-designed grow tube allows you to remove it
for re-use without untying the vine.
4) Pink/beige color. This color
optimizes the ratio of light frequencies plants need for
photosynthesis. This color gives vines the same sensory
feedback as being in full sunlight, so that they allocate
growth resources to ‘secondary’ growth – stem thickness and
roots.
Planting
1. Water tree thoroughly before planting.
2. Dig hole a couple inches deeper and wider than soil
ball.
3. Remove plastic pot.
4. Plant top of potting
soil 1"-1.5" below soil surface.
- Note: DO NOT DISRUPT
ROOT BALL
- Note: Leave Bamboo stake with tree
5.
Lightly pack soil around tree.
Pruning
January - March: Leave foliage on the
tree (if applicable).
April - August: Prune limbs leaving
2.5" - 3" of growth per limb. Remove fruit or nuts if
applicable. New growth should appear in 10-14 days.
Sept.
- December: Leave foliage on tree, prune in late January.
Watering
During the first couple months, the roots
are beginning to reach out into the soil. This is an important
time to keep sufficient moisture on the tree. Also, it is
especially important to consistently provide very good
moisture from April to September of the planting year.
Fertilizing
It is a good idea to fertilize your young tree
from April - September. Using a well -balanced fertilizer such
as, 15-15-15, is recommended. Apply in a ring 18-24" away from
the tree and water in. Begin fertilizing when you see signs of
new grow
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