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GRAPE GRO WING ently from surrounding soils. Consider a different variety, rootstock, spacing, trel- lis system and/or fertility program for this area. How small a block you are willing to separate from larger areas depends some- what on what you can farm conveniently. Some growers are willing to separate an area as small as an acre if they feel it is drastically different from surrounding ar- eas. Other growers take the approach that they need to produce at least a truckload (around 20 tons of fruit) to justify a sepa- rate block. Less than that may be suitable for a specialty variety that can help sell a larger block. Some growers also install separate irriga- tion lines for rows that have variable soils. Using shut off valves, they may begin ir- rigating certain vines sooner in the season and start their irrigation program focused on providing the needs for those vines. As the season progresses they open up valves that irrigate the rest of the vineyard, and that way they are neither over- nor under- irrigating the vineyard. Design for ease of farming Many consultants talk about perfect row orientation, and I agree that it's great if you can make it work for the parcel that References 1. websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov 2. isnap.oregonstate.edu/WERA_103/Methods/WCC- 103-Lab%20Manul-2003-Saturated%20Pastel.PDF you'll be planting. The idea is that you want shade on the fruit at noon, and you want the vine shadow to be minimal on the vineyard floor. If it is possible, a row orientation from northeast to southwest works well in the sunny areas of Califor- nia, as the fruit is less likely to sunburn and will ripen evenly from one side of the vine to the other. Most land parcels are oriented north to south, however, and these guidelines would lead to vines planted on a diagonal pattern, with many short rows requiring extra end posts (expensive) and consid- erable turning around and maneuvering in the vineyard. Every time you make a turn, it slows the tractor and the opera- tion down, plus it represents wear and tear on tires, transmissions and clutches. The longer your rows, the easier it is to farm. The benefits from "ideal vine row orientation" may be quickly offset by ex- penses and inconveniences. I also see a trend toward wider rows and variable vine spacing. Larger equipment takes less time to cover fewer rows than closely spaced rows using smaller equipment. Growers use divided canopies to make big- ger vines. In most instances, big vines make more sense in California than little vines. Little vines are great for Northern France, where soils are shallow, seasons are short and vine density is high so that individual vines have only a few clusters of fruit to ripen. In California, our fertile soils and sunshine allow plants to grow well, and a larger statured vine makes sense if the soil can support vigorous growth (which is the case in many vineyards.) In the second part of this series I will dis- cuss rootstock, trellis, variety and clonal choices as you plan installing your new vineyard. Glenn McGourty is the UC Cooperative Extension winegrowing and plant science advisor for Lake and Mendocino counties. He is the technical editor for the "Organic Winegrowing Manual" published by the University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources division. He also tends a 1-acre vineyard on his property along the Russian River near Ukiah, Calif. Target Wineries By: Size Location Production Details Sales Data New Wineries Since Online Marketing System (OMS) The Wines & Vines WinesVinesDATA WINESANDVINES.COM/OMS Hard Pressed For Quality? Consider a Basket Press Hypac basket press features include: • Baskets from 8HL to 30HL • Easy to operate • Easy to clean • Built to last • Manufactured in the USA • Local sales & service support North America Roanoke, Virginia, USA E: info@hypacusa.com P: (888)839-6916 www.hypacUSA.com WINES & VINES NOVEMBER 2012 99