In This Section |
Wine Grape Production Outside Traditional Areas in Ontario
|
| Time | Vine Stage | Critical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Jan/Feb
|
dormant | below -20°C | avoid extreme cold or there will be damage to vines and/or buds |
|
March/April
|
starting to grow | +10°C to -10°C | wide swings in temperature that could prompt early growth and reduce hardiness |
|
May/June
|
growing & approaching bloom | -1°C to -5°C | fluctuating temperatures could result in spring frost damage to shoots and/or bloom |
|
Nov/Dec
|
preparing for winter acclimation | +5°C to -10°C | early winter freezes before full dormancy could result in severe bud/wood injury |
Drainage Tile
Irrigation/Rainfall
Ideal: Coarse textured soils, moderate slope, well aerated, no restrictive soil layers
(Source: Euro Nurseries & Vineyards)
| 311 GM* (white) H |
Riesling type flavour, ripens mid September
|
| 318 GM* (white) H |
Riesling type flavour, ripens beginning
of September
|
| 322 GM* (white) H |
Gewurztraminer flavour, ripens end of September
|
| Auxerrois (white) V |
Early ripening Burgundy wine, similar to
Pinot Blanc, ripens mid September, good producer
|
| Baco noir (red) H |
An extremely vigourous variety, does very
well in heavy soil. On fertile soils should be grafted on rootstock
to reduce vigour. The fruit usually has high acidity but produces
wines of good quality and good colour. Ripens mid September.
|
| Bianca (white) H |
Sauvignon Blanc type variety, cold hardy,
late budding, early September. Exceptionally disease resistant,
needs little spraying. High yields on good sites but does not
need good location to do well.
|
| Foch (red) H |
Variety with small clusters, small berries
which are particularly attractive to birds. Vines are vigorous,
hardy and productive, makes excellent wine. Ripens mid September.
|
| Gamay (red) V |
A traditional cultivar of Beaujolais. Vines
are vigorous. Vines should be thinned to control crop level and
to ensure good colour and maturity. Ripens mid September.
|
| Léon Millot (red) H |
One of the best French Hybrids. Very vigorous
should be grafted to contain vigour, high yielding. Ripens early
September. Cold hardy.
|
| Ortega (white) V |
Variety that is suitable for table grape
as well for wine making. Ripens early September. Can produce very
good late harvest wines. Cold hardy.
|
| St. Laurent (red) V |
This variety is of velvety fruity character
with very dark colour. Vigour is moderate, ripens end of September.
|
| Sirius (white) H |
Late budding variety, Riesling type wine.
Cold hardy. This variety is disease resistant but needs a better
site to produce excellent crop
|
| Vidal (white) H |
A white French Hybrid, very good wine record.
Vines are vigorous and productive, will suffer winter injury if
too vigorous or overcropped. Ripens early October, suitable for
late harvest or icewine production.
|
| Zweigelt (red) V |
Variety makes an excellent wine. Will grow
at mediocre site without problem. Ripens mid September.
|
| Others: |
Cayuga White, St. Croix, St.Pepin
|
* = GM (Geisenheim) varieties
| Variety |
Winter Freeze Damage
(rating 1-10*) |
Spring Frost
(rating 1-5**) |
|---|---|---|
| Aurore |
8
|
3
|
| Auxerrois |
5
|
3
|
| Baco Noir |
8
|
1
|
| Cabernet Franc |
5
|
5
|
| Cabernet Sauvignon |
3
|
5
|
| Cayuga White |
8
|
2
|
| Chambourcin |
7
|
5
|
| Chardonnay |
5
|
3
|
| Concord |
10
|
2
|
| DeChaunac |
9
|
3
|
| Elvira |
10
|
2
|
| Fredonia |
10
|
2
|
| Gamay Noir |
5
|
5
|
| Gewurztraminer |
3
|
5
|
| Geisenheim 312 |
8
|
5
|
| Leon Millet |
10
|
1
|
| Limberger |
3
|
5
|
| Marechal Foch |
10
|
1
|
| Merlot |
2
|
4
|
| Nebbiolo |
1
|
?
|
| Niagara |
8
|
2
|
| Petit Sirah |
1
|
?
|
| Pinot Blanc |
3
|
5
|
| Pinot Gris |
3
|
5
|
| Pinot Noir |
3
|
5
|
| Riseling |
5
|
5
|
| Sauvignon Blanc |
1
|
5
|
| Seyval |
8
|
4
|
| Sovereign Coronation |
9
|
3
|
| Vidal |
8
|
5
|
| Zinfandel |
1
|
?
|
Grape pruning seems drastic to the uninitiated. The bulk of the previous season's growth is removed, leaving only four to six canes. These are reduced in length according to the vigour of the vines. Pruning is basically simple, but requires experience and judgement in the selection of the few canes that are to remain.
The canes selected should originate from the trunk or as close to it as possible. They should be of normal vigour and about pencil size, avoiding weak growth or very heavy bull canes.
In the Niagara Peninsula several systems of training are followed, such as Pendelbogen, Umbrella Kniffen, Scott-Henry, four- and six-cane Kniffen. Kniffen and Pendelbogen are the most common. The main advantage of following a particular system is that the work, particularly pruning and tying, is simplified and standardized.
The fourcane Kniffen is trained to a central trunk with four arms (2 left and 2 right). These arms produce canes each year of which one quality cane is selected, usually with 5-7 buds. The canes are tied each spring to support trellis wires at 2heights from the ground, the lowest at 80-100 cm, and the top at 160-180 cm.
The four-cane Kniffen system is preferred by most growers because selection of fruiting canes and tying are generally easier.
Pruning can begin any time after the first hard frost (-5°C or below) and should be finished before the vines start to "bleed" in the spring. The important consideration is that the vines be thoroughly dormant. Pruning should not be done on very cold days when canes are very brittle and those left may be injured when pulling out the brush. Prune labrusca types (Concord, Niagara) first, and prune the French hybrids and viniferas last, as they are more likely to suffer winter injury.
"The Spare Parts Approach"
"Other Practices"
Some growers prefer to raise their own plants. Grapes are propagated easily from hardwood cuttings if certain precautions are observed. Cuttings may be taken anytime when the vine is dormant, but if they are taken during November and December there is less likelihood of the canes or buds having suffered any winter injury.
Well-matured canes of the past season's growth (hardwood cuttings) are used. Three-bud cuttings are best, the nodes being sufficiently close together that the cuttings are not longer than 25 cm (10 in.). In preparing the cuttings, a cut is made just below the basal bud and 2 to 5 cm (1 to 2 in) above the top bud. This method of cutting distinguishes the lower end which is to be placed in the ground. For convenience in planting, all cuttings should be placed the same way in the bundle. Bundles of 50 to 100 are easy to handle.
Cuttings may be stored in a cool, moist place until time for planting in the spring. Moist sawdust, sand, and peat moss are satisfactory materials for packing and storing. Unless the cuttings can be stored in a cool place, a well-drained outdoor pit may prove more satisfactory. A sandy or sandy-loam soil is best, but if only heavy soil is available, moist sand may be used to partially fill the pit. The cuttings should be covered with at least 8 cm (3 in) of sand or sandy soil pressed firmly around them. A heavy straw mulch should be placed over the cutting bed.
The cuttings are planted in a nursery row as early in the spring as is possible to work the soil. For planting, a furrow should be made deep enough that most of the cuttings can be planted in a vertical position with the top bud just at the normal soil level. If some cuttings are too long slant them slightly. Rows should be 1 to 1 ¼ m (3 to 4 ft) apart with cuttings in furrows 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in) apart. Firm packing of soil around the cuttings is very important. Thorough cultivation for good weed control during the growing season is required for maximum growth.
To replace misses in a vineyard where a vigorous vine is adjacent to the missing one, choose a vigorous cane and extend it to the desired position (layering). Bend it so the angle is placed in a small hole covered with soil and at least two buds beyond the bend are left above the surface. As the shoots develop, they should be removed from the portion between the mother vine and the buried area, leaving those beyond the buried angle. The cane is left connected to the mother plant for two to three years, until the new vine is well established.
Softwood cuttings are taken in mid July when you have green succulent shoots. One bud cuttings are used with 70% of the leaf area removed. Rooting in a mist bed usually takes 2-3 weeks then transplanted into 4" pots. The hardening of process begins when 5-6" of growth is attained by reducing the water temperature in the greenhouse. The stock is then planted in late spring into a nursery.
Bench grafting is done in March and early April with dormant cuttings. The grafts are packed in ½ perlite and ½ peat moss and stored at 25°C with no light for 2 weeks to promote callus. The grafts are then moved to light with cool temperatures (15°C) until late spring planting in a nursery.
Top working undesirable varieties to another kind has not been very satisfactory. It may be possible under ideal conditions and when done by a skilled operator. Kimbal grafting, a process developed at the New York Agricultural Experiment Station (NYAES) in Geneva, New York, has had marginal success in changing over varieties in a mature vineyard.
|
Bert Dunn
|
Gemmrich Vineyard & Nursery
|
|
Mori-Vin Inc.
|
Chateau des Charmes Wines Ltd.
|
|
Produce Link - Joe Dutchyn
|
Alain Breault et Mariette Lageaux |
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