Original article by Barbara Berst Adams, edited for www.microecofarming.com by Amy Rose. Growing grapes in a sustainable manner produces a variety of crop products with great potential for the micro eco-farmer, and here we overview the latest discoveries on how to get substantial amounts of healthy grapes with organic and sustainable methods.

We interview the author of The Grape Grower, A Guide to Organic Viticulture as well as university researchers, grape growing experts in France, and others experienced in growing grapes ecologically to show innovative ways the urban, small town or small rural acreage farmer can prosper by growing grapes.

Growing grapes: Great future market potential

Whether you grow (or plan to grow) a few grapevines along with other crops for CSA customers and a roadside stand, or tend a small acreage vineyard, it's encouraging to see more and more studies revealing the substantial health benefits of grapes, grape juice and wine. These benefits reach the mainstream on a regular basis, helping the customer base grow for those involved in growing grapes.

Combine this mounting popularity for grapes with the growing demand for sustainable, local and regional farmed products, and we find that growing grapes organically or sustainably can help farmers prosper and find exceptional ways to produce and market this popular fruit. Fresh-picked table grapes, your own signature wine, your own farm label's grape juice, grape jelly, fruit leather or handcrafted grape soda pop, locally produced raisins - the list of grape products is waiting, so, let's begin.

Basics for growing grapes

In general, grapevines need plenty of sun, extremely well-drained soil deep enough for roots that can go down several feet, and good air circulation. Each grapevine needs to be treated as an individual, trellised and spaced according to the type of grapevine it is. The "concord" type grapevines have a more drooping growing habit, and the "European" types grow more upward. Growing grapes then means carefully harvesting each grape cluster only at its peak of ripeness. The nursery or your own cooperative extension should have specifics for the particular variety choices you make for growing grapes for sale.

Grape growing also means tending a crop that prefers soils that "make them struggle." On a recent trip to wine country in France, the author witnessed vineyard owners who insisted their grapes perform well because of their rocky, less than fertile soil. Wine grapes (vs. table grapes which can use a little more fertility) especially create better fruits because of the challenge.

But a closer look at the best conditions for growing grapes often reveals that even in rocky soil, there's life in the soil and a very balanced mineral content similar in balance to that from the ocean. Here is how some of the best of those growing grapes across country and world are using new and sustainable methods to increase their success with growing grapes.

Vineyard health, disease resistance and vigor from the sea.

Here's a method for sustainable grape growing that can be used immediately whether you have one grapevine or an entire vineyard. It comes from knowing some of the healthiest vineyards from around the world grow on ancient sea beds. To bring the micro-nutrient rich balance from the sea to grapevines that aren't growing in such conditions, some farmers involved in growing grapes are using seaweed, diluted sea water, and/or other sea products such as fish emulsion, fish pellets, fish bone meal or oyster shell in their soil or as foliar feeds.

One manufacturer of a seaweed based natural fertilizer states that grape production can increase to as much as 25% when the seaweed fertilizer is used, and that very little need to be applied. That might be pushing the positive results in some cases of growing grapes, but it depends on the vineyard's current situation.

Dried seaweed can be added to vineyard soil as a top dressing, mixed with mulch that's applied to the vineyard, or infused into water and sprayed as a foliar feed.

For those interested in trying diluted sea water, here's Lon's advice. "I live close enough to the ocean to go there for my seawater. For those who don't, there is a possible alternative. Pet stores sell what is essentially dehydrated seawater (ALL the minerals from the ocean, not just salt) to make artificial seawater for salt water aquariums. I've never had reason to try it, but if ocean fish can live in it, it should work."

Other sources include suppliers listed in the "AcresUSA" publication, (see link below). Also, one of our merchant affiliates, Gardens Alive, has sea-based products for those growing grapes on a smaller scale.

To apply the seawater treatment if you're already growing grapes, according to Lon, "dilute the seawater to one part in 20 and water the ground around the plant with one or two gallons. Three times a growing season is more than enough in most soils. I have done it by mixing 2.5 gallons of seawater in a 50 gallon plastic drum. Put it on the platform of the mower on the back of my tractor. Fill with water. Use a hose to siphon it onto the vines. Slow, but it works." As described in the title, Micro Eco-Farming: Prospering from Backyard to Small Acreage in Partnership with the Earth, using the full spectrum of sea minerals in balance is a universal method many micro eco-farms are using now, from feeding goats to mulching their market gardens. It's no surprise it works well forgrowing grapes.

Rare miniature sheep in the vineyard for mowing, weeding, disease reduction and fertility.

Here is an innovative method used with grape growing that works well for those with small acreage vineyards (there are alternatives for those who don't want to keep or rent sheep herds, see below).

Sheep are known as excellent lawn mowers, sometimes even being used on golf courses. When Olde English Southdown Miniature Babydoll sheep are grazed through the vineyard, they can bring multiple benefits to the process of growing grapes. This breed is only 24 inches tall and has even been the subject of a research grant involved in sustainable vineyard practices.

The first and main reason for using them in grape growing is their ability to mow between and amidst the grapevines. Their light weight and small hooves do little damage to the vineyard floor, and they happily raze weeds down to the ground while their droppings add microbial life and fertility to the soil.

But does their manure add too much fertility for these crops that "love a challenge?" According to Lon Rombough, the organic grape grower we've been quoting here, and author of The Grape Grower: A Guide to Organic Viticulture, "Sheep manure is lower in nitrogen than most animal manures and very high in potassium, which is often lacking in many soils. The sheep would have to stay in the vineyard for a very long time to apply (too) much. Also, the manure takes time to release that thoroughly."

Own the healthiest grapevines in town

Along with the advantages of weeding and manure that works well for growing grapes, the sheep's meticulous mowing reduces disease by eliminating blocks to air circulation caused by undergrowth, as air circulation is very important when growing grapes.

Another valuable, rare crop when growing grapes this way

If the sheep are owned by the person actually growing grapes, their rare wool (which falls into the fiber class of cashmere) creates another crop for the grower. But for growers who don't want to own sheep, they can be rented for use. An online search will let you know if there are any sheep mowing services in your area.

Growing grapes and attracting customers

Their presence among the grapevines also makes a great agritourism draw. Even photos of eco-friendly sheep mowing the vineyard used on the vineyard's website or in brochures is an attraction to the growing eco-conscious society.

The babydoll sheep are controlled from eating leaves and grapes in one of three ways:

• For vineyards with high trellising, the sheep can't even reach high enough to do damage.
• Conditioned taste aversion (see below for link to a professor's site with more information) has also been used with success. Sheep are fed grapes and grape leaves along with the precise small amount of lithium chloride which gives them a temporary queasy feeling they permanently associate with the grape plant. In the future, they'll eat just about anything in the vineyard but the grape plants themselves.
• On the other hand, while anyone growing grapes wants the sheep to avoid fruit, some actually welcome the sheep's grape leaf appetite. They eat the leafy suckers that sprout from the lower part of the tough grape vines, eliminating a lot of pruning work involved in grape growing ordinarily done by human hands. A third method, therefore, is to simply shepherd them - coaxing them away from any grape plants they shouldn't eat, allowing the sheep and their even shorter lambs to enjoy low-growing grape leaves and suckers, and taking them out completely during the most vulnerable times of the grape growing season.

Since sheep tend to keep looking down as they eat (vs. goats that like to look and reach upwards), they make almost ideal weeders and mowers for vineyards, and a few other small sheep breeds besides the babydoll can successfully been used to mow vineyards. Shetland sheep and Icelandic sheep are two other small sheep that also produce specialty fiber.

Mowing, cover crops and mulching for weed control, disease control and soil fertility: Another method for keeping weeds and blocked circulation away when growing grapes is simply planting cover crops and mowing them down, leaving the cuttings as mulch, or even just mowing weeds down in the same manner.The organic Torres Family Vineyards in California keep a carpet of clover growing amidst their vines to add light fertility, ease erosion and suppress other taller unwanted weeds. They alternate between mowing it or tilling it into the soil.

Mulching with wood chips in a specific manner has also worked well for growing grapes. Lon Rombough describes a method in The Grape Grower used by a vineyard owner near him who spreads local chipped tree trimmings right under the vines. This particular mulch has just a small amount of nitrogen to add, which is all you want for growing grapes, and unlike some other wood mulches, breaks down very slowly so doesn't take too much nitrogen out of the soil, either, which can sometimes happen with wood chip mulches.

Small pest control and possible fruit-eating bird control with songbirds for growing grapes and keeping the harvest for humans

When bluebirds, wrens and tree swallows are attracted to the area where you're growing grapes, insect pest problems can go way down or disappear altogether. Various birdhouses, nesting boxes and appropriate birdfeeders, as well as access to water can be effective for this. These birds leave fruit alone but love bugs - perfect for growing grapes. Wherever you plan on growing grapes in the USA, your regional Audubon Society should be able to give you information on attracting these birds to the vineyard. They may offer advice on precisely sized birdhouses, for example, that will attract the species you want, and what time in spring in your area to set them out.

Along with eating insects, wrens are very territorial while raising young, and will even chase away fruit eating birds. They're very useful in cherry orchards for this purpose. But as Lon points out, they may be finished chasing away birds if your vineyard ripens in fall. "Wrens are most territorial when they have a brood and in many places they have raised their babies before grapes are ripe. Trying them is inexpensive, so it's often worth a try to put up strategic nest boxes."

There is also a chance that attracting them in spring may at least help keep other fruit eating birds from raising their young or establishing eating habits in the area early in the season, which may reduce some numbers when grapes ripen, depending on the type of fruit eating bird that's a problem in your grape growing venture.

More small pest control with natural habitat and companion planting.

When natural habitat amidst or near the grape growing area is balanced with the need for mowing and air circulation, spiders and other beneficial insects will naturally control insect pests.

In addition, planting wild blackberries near the area where you're growing grapes has been shown to create a desirable habitat for a parasitic wasp that destroys the eggs of a major grape pest, the grape leafhopper. One study in California noted that blackberry refuges within a mile and a half of a vineyard produced benefits for the grapevines starting early in the season.

However, it's been found that in order for a high population of the wasps to be produced, the blackberries needed moist conditions and an overstory of trees as is found in their native growing conditions such as along treed rivers. The study discussed native California blackberries, Rubus ursinus and the often dreaded invasive Rubus procerus, the Himalaya blackberry. A carefully planned and controlled patch of desirable blackberries under beneficial trees could potentially eliminate the grape leafhopper and offer yet another product to diversify the crops of farmers growing grapes.

Blackberries have also been the subject of studies showing excellent antioxidant and other health benefits to humans, and are popular crops for roadside and restaurant sales. They can make excellent jams and jellies for value-added products. But, like grape growing, blackberry growing means providing the plants their specific growing needs, and since they need trees above them and moister conditions than grapevines, in most cases they can't grow amidst the sun-loving grapevines.

Increased flavor, production and vigor with hyssop companion planting: Hyssop, (hyssopus officinalis), like grapevines, has a long history with humankind and is mentioned in the Bible more than once. It's believed by some to increase yields and fruit flavor of grapevines when planted as companion plants near them. Growing hyssop among grapevines as a beneficial companion plant is a traditional use, and growers are still waiting for more modern studies on the subject, but the tradition is long and continues. Hyssop is a flowering perennial evergreen growing two to three feet tall.

Its additional benefits to the farmer growing grapes include that its long blooming season runs from June through October and its absolutely loved by bees, making it great for feeding pollinators or honey producing bees. (Grapes are self-pollinating, so don't depend on bees for this purpose, but one study did show that honeybee pollination did increase grapevine production somewhat). Hyssop leaves and flowers are harvested and dried for various medicinal and culinary traditions and can be made into additional value-added farm products.

Like grapevines, it must have well-drained soil, and though it grows well in sun, it doesn't mind shade produced by grapevines and its short rhizome doesn't seem to negatively compete with grapes. If planted with grapes where sheep are used to mow between the vines, the same shepherding or taste aversion methods for keeping sheep from eating grape leaves and fruits may be tried with hyssop.

Larger pest control with raptor housing

Larger pests such as gophers, other rodents, and rabbits can cause serious damage to vineyards, and very toxic chemical rodenticides have been used for this purpose. The smaller vineyard can eliminate much of this simply by keeping a farm dog around, but be careful, dogs are also known to steal fruits from trees and vines, and grapes are believed to be unhealthy for dogs even though many other fruits are fine for them.

Well-mowed fields that don't provide shelter for these wild animals and a lot of human interaction from the tasks involved in growing grapes can discourage them. But attracting barn owls, screech owls and hawks can eliminate huge numbers of rabbits, gophers, and other larger pest problems.

A single barn owl family can eliminate up to 1000 per year. Viticulturists in Napa and nearby counties are having success by constructing nesting boxes for the two types of owls, and perches for hawks. Those growing grapes in large quantities can contact or research their regional Audubon Society's online information for specifics to make sure the desired birds in their areas are provided for in a manner that attracts those specific birds rather than starlings or other bird pests who might take up residence in an owl's nesting box.

Healthier grapevines with mycorrhizal fungi

"Mycorrhizal fungi's best use is in the establishing of young vines," says Lon. "It stimulates the root growth and branching which helps the vine get off to a faster start. However, growers who use it often neglect to supply the humates that the fungi and their associated bacteria need to grow. That can be done with humic acid powders, but organic mulch is more effective as it feeds the other soil flora and fauna at the same time. Established vines show less effect from inoculation much of the time because they have already been colonized by wild MF by then.

Use of the inoculums does speed up the process for young vines. Most of the inoculums I've used are powders and can be dusted on the roots at planting time. Or dip the roots in the powder. If the vines are already in the ground, punch two or three holes in the ground in the root zone and sprinkle in the powder, then cover the holes. A crowbar works well for this."

Once again, the "AcresUSA" publication below displays suppliers of mycorrhizal fungi and humic acid. Also, Gardens Alive has mycorrhizal fungi, which may be appropriate for your grape growing situation. MF and humic acid for feeding the MF may start becoming more available locally as well.

Fooling grape eating birds with fake grapes, reflectors and taste aversion: For those with just a few grapevines, here are some methods for dealing with those certain birds that feed on ripe grapes including house finches, robins and starlings.

If growing grapes as a small vineyard, growers can cover their vines with plastic netting, and some people feel they have luck with fake owls, snakes and hawks as long as they continue to move them around, while others feel pretend predators don't provide the control they need.

Reflective mylar strips or balloons that move in the breeze seem more effective than owls and snakes, especially for starlings. But what if you don't want to scare away all the birds, just the fruit pests?

One method that has worked with other small fruits such as strawberries is putting out pretend plastic (or wooden, or otherwise - not real) fruits the color of ripened fruits just before actual ripening occurs. Birds attempt to eat the plastic and find it unavailable as a food source. For a good part of the season, some birds avoid the real fruit once it ripens. In fruit crops that continue producing ripened fruits for a long period of time, though, birds will usually return to try again, so it needs to be used with crops that are harvested relatively quickly.

It also depends on the type of bird causing the problem when growing grapes. "Robins, for example, just keep trying and would probably discover the deception pretty fast," says Lon. "A variation of this idea was done by a blueberry grower who scattered previously frozen berries that had been treated with Measurol. The treated fruit made the birds nauseous and they left the rest of the blueberries alone. Laws for using Measurol are too variable to know if this is allowable in many states." Each grape grower would have to make an informed legal decision on this process based on his or her own location. But taste aversion of various methods has been tested by scientists to work with wild birds quite well. For more information on these studies, see the link to the professor's site on taste aversion below.

Superior harvests and sales with hand harvesting via agritourism.

Vineyards of all sizes do well with any of the above grape growing techniques. But those that are small enough to selectively hand-harvest each grape bunch at the peak of flavor have more advantages. Crops and subsequently sales and farm reputation for those growing grapes this way will be superior, and this type of select harvesting is healthier for the grapevines.

Lopez Island Vineyards, an organic vineyard in Washington State, uses agritourism for both marketing and hand-harvesting help. For the price of training and a meal, volunteers who love wine, vineyards, new experiences and want to learn about growing grapes, come to the farm to carefully hand harvest the wine grapes. They thoughtfully looking over each cluster among the grapevines and harvesting only the fruits that are at their peak.

Proper planting and proper grapevine variety

Sometimes, all the care in the world won't work when improper grape varieties were planted for that specific location, or the correct grape variety was planted in an improper manner. There are grapevine varieties suitable from the cold north to the Deep South, as well as vines that need much attention, and those that almost thrive on their own. They need to be chosen correctly for the grower's specific location and growing situation. Check with your local cooperative extension.

Watch out for...

But for all grapevine varieties, low, soggy locations with little air circulation are some of the worst conditions for grape growing. Yet in some cases, there are rescue remedies even when conditions aren't perfect. As mentioned, grapevines need sunny, extremely well-drained soil, very good air circulation, not too much fertility (although live beneficial soil bacteria and sea minerals are good), and good depth in the soil for roots to grow deep, sometimes several feet down.

If planting a new vineyard, plant the grapevines parallel to the prevailing winds to increase air circulation while protecting vines from wind damage.

Make sure there is no hardpan or other problem with deep root penetration and if there is, and you can't plant in a different location, consider breaking the hardpan and/or making raised beds for the vines.

Rescue methods for grapevines already planted

If vines are already planted and struggling because of possible low air circulation or shallow soil that's not draining, rescue measures include seeing if other objects further away are blocking air drainage, such as a solid wall that stops air flow which could be removed or given air holes.

Dig a deep drainage ditch around the vineyard for water runoff, and if you only own a few grapevines, use a post hole digger to create a deep channel near the plants filled with loosened soil and oyster shell for the vines to seek out and penetrate. Do not dig loose holes near the vines if the entire area has trouble draining without first digging a deeper drainage ditch around the entire vineyard. If you skip the drainage ditch, you could actually be creating "dry wells" that attract even more water to the grapevine's root growing area.

Whether growing grapes on a few acres or in a small garden for a roadside stand, grapes' long history and popularity with humankind seems only to get stronger. The more we progress with sustainable grape growing methods, it seems, the happier and healthier humans will be for the efforts.

Recommended Links

Conditioned taste aversion information (concentrates on the wolf and coyote, but the author of this site has further information on its use with birds and other animals).
www.conditionedtasteaversion.net

Gardens Alive

AcresUSA
www.acresusa.com