HOW TO PLANT 
January, February and March are the best months for 
planting Grape Vines, though many successful vineyards 
have been planted in April and May, with very little loss 
if the vines are kept moist, and after pruning are carried 
into the field in a bucket on tank of water. To prune for 
planting: Shorten in all roots radiating from the base of 
the cutting to two or three inches long and remove all 
other roots. Then prune the top of the vine, leaving only 
one lateral spur of the previous season’s growth with two 
buds. As soon as pruned, the rooted cuttings should be 
protected with wet sacking, or if the weather is warm, 
placed in a bucket or tank of water. Do not leave in 
water more than 24 hours. 
Dig holes large enough to accommodate the vine with 
six inches to spare all around. Set the plant to a depth 
that will place the lateral spur two or three inches above 
ground level and fill in the hole with soil, using top soil 
first. It is well to mix a handful of peat moss with the 
soil placed around plant, but never place manure or other 
fertilizer in contact with roots. Settle the soil firmly 
around the roots of the vine by soaking with water. This 
is important. If you feel that you must use manure or 
other fertilizer, place this material on the surface of the 
ground around the vine at least six inches from plant. 
In the field, stake the Fall or Winter following planting. 
On good soil that will produce a vigorous vine, 5, 5% or 
6-foot redwood stakes are usually used on Thompson 
Seedless, Alicante Buschet and most Table Grapes, or 
even 7-foot stakes on Emperors where it is intended to 
place vines on cross arms to improve quality of fruit, and 
usually three wires are stretched with the row. Higher 
vines mean more old wood to be kept alive, and the 
wisdom of this with some varieties may be doubted, but 
in the Exeter district, Emperors on cross arms with 7-foot 
stakes produce excellent quality, and there is an obvious 
advantage in the picker not having to stoop nearly so 
much to get under the cross arm. Certainly 6-foot stakes 
are high enough without cross arms, and eyen with cross 
arms they do very well. 
In some localities, shorter stakes are used without 
wires, the vines being planted 8x8 feet or 10x10 feet 
and cultivated north and south and east and west. Prac- 
tically all Muscats and many Zinfandels and other wine 
grapes are grown without stakes after the vine has ma- 
tured, but these varieties should be staked the Fall or 
Winter after planting with at least a light 18-inch stake 
to support the vine until it is able to support itself. The 
Black Muscat is both staked and wired. If in doubt, or 
if this is hard to determine, write us. 
Plants Required Per Acre 
Se SAlectss oo eee Sear 680 
TLOALO Seer es: Se ee Te rear ee 435 
Ce 2k Cea ee ae eS SS rae ave! 520 
