How do you plant grapes in CLAY?

 


I need to transplant my grape vines,or lose them. The soil is clay, and
a
simple hole will just form a grape killing water tub. I was thinking
of making a
log liner with Osage pieces and going above ground..The hope
that I can keep the
roots out of water.... Thank you for any and all
ideas.




--
nadcarves

 

In most places clay and sand occur together in layers.  So one tactic
is to dig a hole deep enough to reach a layer of sand, and fill the
hole with sand.  Get soil maps for your area, or talk with local well
diggers about what to expect below the surface.

How many vines?

    Una

 

nadcarves wrote:

Plant them in a mound that is above the clay.  If there is a row instead on
a single plant then build a raised bed.  The roots will extend downwards
into the clay given time and some rain during the growing season.  This is
how I have planted all my fruit trees in an area with plastic clay subsoil
and I haven't lost one due to wet roots in a region that can get 25cm (10in)
of rain in a week.  This will not work so well if the area is really flat or
in a depression because with nowhere to run the water will sit for long
periods until it evaporates.  You cannot grow grapes in a bog.

David

 



Hmmm. I know of several vineyards here in N. California that used to get
flooded every couple of years to no apparent ill effect (weeks at a
time, but then the grapes were dormant). I've always presumed that the
soil was clay, since this is an old laguna. I'm going by a winery
tomorrow and I'll see if I can find a viticulturalist. No promises, but
I'll ask.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Zinn/HZinn_page.html

 

In article


I forgot to ask what kind of grapes are these and how old are they? Most
importantly, what kind of rootstock are they on?
<http://www.californiagrapevine.com/rootstockchart.htm>
As you can see, some rootstocks are meant for wet clay conditions.
What kind of soil are these vines planted in now?
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Zinn/HZinn_page.html