Perhaps the most idyllic addition to one's property is the vineyard, whether it be utilized for hobby winemaking at home or simply as a luxurious and unique landscaping choice. Whether you choose to grow sweet and table-ready Concord grapes or more refined varietals of Chardonnay and Zinfandel, there are a few things to consider as you begin your viticulture journey. This article will help you determine how best to design and execute your personal vineyard in order to keep your yard looking beautiful and your vines producing fruit.
A home vineyard grows well in any space and works for those who don't want to take up too much of their lawn space, as close planting designs promote competitive growth among the grape vines. A helpful first step in designing your trellis layout is to pick an area that will maximize sun exposure, especially in cooler zoned areas, as this helps ensure proper ripening.
Depending on the intended height of your vines, you can opt for precise and tidy individual vertical shoot trellises, or, if your vines are expected to grow taller than 6 feet, you can allow them to sprawl rustically on connecting wire trellises. Treated wood posts and row illuminating garden lights can really elevate the design and impact of your trellis system.
Before you choose your varietals and order your vines, testing your soil to ensure optimum nutrient content is a crucial starting point. Sunline’s experienced landscapers will help you take a shallow and deep soil sample and have it laboratory evaluated so that issues like proper acidity level can be addressed before planting.
Luckily for you, you will have a relatively wide range of options when choosing varietals, as Utah’s high desert climate is comparable to that of certain regions of Spain and Italy. Alongside table varietals of grapes like the Concord and Thompson seedless, Albarino and Tempranillo wine grapes do the best in this climate due to their hardiness and thicker skins. Making sure to choose drought-resistant rootstock is also a great way to set your project up for success, as root-grafted vines tend to be more resilient in general and the added protection of low water needs helps ensure your crops' survival.
Grape vines will go dormant during winter, and will need to be pruned well and protected with extra soil packed around their bases, as well as other outdoor insulation methods. While it is important for vines to enter this dormant period, as they will die off without it, extreme temperatures can damage budding fruit. As with most other aspects of viticulture, this can be mitigated via the use of hybridized varietals, such as in the Foch hybrid which boasts a hardy tolerance to below-freezing temperatures.
If you live in a neighborhood frequented by larger pests such as deer, rabbits, or pigs, consider a covered vineyard section or consult with our Sunline landscapers for a more personalized pest-control solution. In terms of avoiding harmful insects, it's optimal to use the controlled deployment of insectivorous “helper" insects like praying mantises and lady bugs that will keep bug populations down without the use of pesticides, many of which can negatively impact the health of your soil, or even lead to the proliferation of chemical-resistant pests. Lastly, soil pests such as nematodes and phylloxera can be detected and dealt with in the initial soil-testing, and by choosing the right rootstock, which are available in any hybridization combination you could desire.
With easy watering solutions, pest-control options, and hybridization possibilities, there are endless ways to make your garden vineyard perfectly customized to fit your vision. While Utah is not typically thought of as a hub of viticulture, there is a long history of wine making going back to the days of early Mormon pioneers, who cultivated sacramental vineyards as far back as the 1800s. We are excited to help you on your new landscaping journey, whether winemaking is a longtime hobby or if you simply can't get enough of the Italian countryside aesthetic. Book a free consultation to start building your dream backyard with us today.
