[clydesdaleclopper]

As well as clover you might want to think about some deep rooted species as these help the vines to get their own roots deeper. If you wanted to stick with nitrogen fixers you could use Lucerne as their roots can go very deep into the soil.

[pgkevet]

Best of luck with all that!

I'd just like to put my name down for a free bottle of kentoplonk 2018.......

[HesterF]

Hmmm - I'd give us a few more years experimenting before its drinkable! First grapes will be 2018 or so. Sparkling whites is the target with still whites, roses and maybe even sparkling roses in a good season. Hic!

[HesterF]

Oh, and I've never heard of Lucerne (except in a Swiss context). I'll google later but how high is the top? We need to be able to get the tractor up and down the rows which is why clover appeals.

[clydesdaleclopper]

Lucerne is also known as Alfalfa

[HesterF]

Aha! Now that I have heard of - and it would have the bonus of feeding the lizards too (always good to have a win-win). I'll look into it - thanks!

[clydesdaleclopper]

The other good deep rooted one that I forgot to mention is chicory. It's great fodder and if you let it flower the bees love it.

[pgkevet]

Hmmm - I'd give us a few more years experimenting before its drinkable! First grapes will be 2018 or so. Sparkling whites is the target with still whites, roses and maybe even sparkling roses in a good season. Hic!

I figured 2018...drinkable? I'm happy if it has alcohol... ..

You obviously like a challenge with secondary fermentation...

[ballingall]

Sorry not really a reply for the OP, but good luck with the vines!


You can buy granulated lime from your local agri merchant too, in 25kg sacks. We only have a little field, so we apply it by hand. Lots of helpers is useful! You don't even need special equipment, we use calf buckets, so they are light enough for the children to carry. We have a system, one person to every second fence post, then work across the field. You can then do the same at right angles to make sure you get good coverage.


Trouble is I'm spreading manure just now, no equipment to do it, and there aren't as many volunteers to spread manure with your marigolds on... I wonder why?


Beth

[HesterF]

Lime is about the only thing we don't need to apply - I could probably ship you a tonne or two (we live at the foot of the North Downs (North being a relative term given that this is Southern Kent) - chalk hills  ). But I did reckon I could walk up and down spreading something pelleted. I do like the idea of waiting until the vines are planted and then I can focus on spreading in the relevant area (and can't yet predict where the rows are going to be that exactly - head hurts too much). I'm thinking we might need some casual labour in to help lay the weed matting and add the canes and guards so maybe they can help spread stuff too.

I'm with your support on the manure - more because it's a pain to spread compared with little pellets. Good luck doing it on your own!

You obviously like a challenge with secondary fermentation...

My entire alcohol creation history to date consists of explosive elderflower champagne, explosive ginger beer and a few bottles (yet to be opened) of gooseberry, elderflower and blackberry wine. What more experience does one need to start a vineyard? At the moment I've not even started panicking about that - first get the vines in, second keep them alive (especially with rampant rabbits around), third train them (apparently we're going for Scott Henry trellis which involves some really complex pruning techniques) and once I've sussed all of that, then I can move on to how to actually make wine. Meantime if I've coped with numbers one to three and can't go on, some of the big vineyards around here will buy in grapes and turn them into something far superior to anything I'll be able to manage. My biggest problem is that I'm not really a big wine lover and have the palate of a worm - I do seem to have had a lot of interest in the role of wine taster though!