Articles

Fall is the most critical time in the vineyard. Preparing for and executing harvest are paramount. So is the cleanup and vineyard care afterwards. Wes Hagen lays out his advice for fall and winter care in a mature vineyard.

Wes Hagen lays out last-minute advice to maximize this make-or-break day as home viticulturists gear up for harvest.

The summer is a critical time in the home vineyard. Wes Hagen shares the physiological needs of mature vines in the summer and lays out a schedule for what growers should be doing in the warmest months.

When a harsh cold snap occurs in the middle of winter, there is little a grape grower can do in the moment . . . it’s all about being prepared ahead of time. Make sure you are making smart decisions before and after the chill.

Not all wine grape growers need to irrigate, but for those that do there are options available. Get a primer on what those strategies look like and some pointers to get going in the right direction.

Not every location needs to irrigate their vines every year, but for those that do, advanced planning is key. Here is a walk through the factors that need to be considered when establishing a vineyard and irrigation needs.

The 2023 growing season is just around the corner and it’s time to think about ways to improve your viticultural practices. Here are 10 tips every wine grape grower should be thinking about to get the best berries from their vines.

Once you have your site selected, soil figured out, as well as irrigation; it’s time to start planning things like row and vine spacing, what type of wine grapes you are going to grow, and then finally what trellis system will best support those vines.

Vineyard netting is often critical to protect your grapes from birds and other predators; however, applying and removing it can be a real pain. Here is a solution for home winemakers with a utility vehicle that allows netting to mostly be installed by just one person without the net ever touching the ground.

Have you ever visited a vineyard and wondered, “How did they do that?!” You know the place, where all the vines seem to be in sync and healthy. Wes found such a hobby vineyard and decided to interview the green thumb.

The summer and fall are when most of the action happens in the vineyard as leaves are thinned and grapes ripen on their journey to be turned into wine. But none of

When your home vineyard grows to a certain size a hand-held or backpack sprayer just won’t cut it. Use these plans to build a tow-behind sprayer to save time and effort while executing your spray program.

So you have decided to elevate your hobby to the point of growing your own fruit for winemaking? This is a huge step that should not be taken lightly. Once you plant

Grow your own grapes? Thinking of starting a backyard vineyard? Now is the time to plan your spring. Here is a list of suppliers where you can purchase grapevines and/or supplies for your home vineyard…

As we move into a new decade, Wes Hagen thought it prudent to lay out some of the latest and greatest gadgets and technology for viticulturists. He also answers some reader questions.

It’s been a few years since we’ve run a Backyard Vines Q&A. Wes Hagen answers several hobby vineyardists’ questions. Learn about tackling black rot, sunburnt grapes, and hedging vines.

It is not lost on the well-informed winegrower/winemaker that fungi — ancient, single-cell organisms that have been on this planet hundreds of millions of years longer than humans — are our best

Want to plant grapevines, but not necessarily enough to warrant a full-scale trellis and all the work and expense that goes along with it? Here are two alternative DIY projects for small-scale vineyards.

For viticulturalists, the time between budbreak and bloom is often a time to let the vines do their thing. But Wes Hagen explains that a little maintenance and care in this growth phase can save grape growers lots of time and hassle later in the year.

Grow your own grapes? Thinking of starting a backyard vineyard? Now is the time to plan your spring. Here is a list of suppliers where you can purchase grapevines and/or supplies for your home vineyard…

Are you ready for some viticultural self-reflection? When harvest is wrapping up, there is no better time to reflect on what you have done right in your vineyard and factors you could improve upon for next year.

Harvest/Post Harvest Quiz: With Pro-Inspired Conceptual Cheat-Sheets Mark your answers and keep a running score in the margins. There will be a discussion of point totals at the end of the article.

Q & A Q Post Harvest Well, the growing season down here was hot and furious and I can’t believe it, but all of my backyard Zinfandel vines survived all the bugs

Ripeness & Wine Style As harvest nears and the grapes are getting ripe, we growers need to start making some decisions concerning the style of wine we want to create. The wine

Pruning Your Backyard Vineyard Pruning grape vines during dormancy is a vital practice for keeping your vines in balance. Grape growers discovered thousands of years ago that cutting off up to 90