SCHEDULE FOR GRAPE PRODUCTION IN CENTRAL FLORIDA
J. A. Mortensen J.
Many inquiries are received at the Agricultural Reegirt &e er,
Leesburg about the proper time to perform the different cultural
practices in the growing of grapes. This mimelograph has been
prepared to inform grape growers about what needs -be donei__-
and the proper time to do it. We suggest that 'gro~iWre-sekep the
schedule handy as a reminder of the needs for a particular month.
This schedule is based on central Florida (Leesburg) conditions.
Growers in North, South, and West Florida should make the necessary
time adjustments since there may be one or two weeks difference
in dates of bud burst, bloom, and ripening between these areas
and central Florida.
The importance of proper fertilizing, liming, spraying, irrigating,
pruning, training, and controlling weeds cannot be overemphasized.
For example, when rotting grapes are observed on the vines it is
too late to control by spraying. A preventive spray schedule
should have been followed as recommended.
January
1. Plant young vines.
2. Tighten all slack wires with a fence stretcher, replace staples
as needed, and continue pruning dormant bearing vines and tying
fruiting canes securely to the trellis with twine. The time of
wire tightening should always precede the time of tying canes
with twine, but should be after pruning.
3. Make cuttings (12 inches long) as needed for propagating bunch
grapes and bury in soil in an inverted position.
4. Begin grafting bunch grapes as needed late in month.
5. Plant rooted plants in containers for replanting of skips in
June.
February
1. Apply dormant fungicidal spray to bunch grapes before new
growth starts.z
z See County Agent for current pesticide spray schedule.
Leesburg ARC Research Report-WG78-2
300 copies
July 7, 1978
2. Finish pruning and tying in February.
3. Broadcast first application of fertilizer on bearing vines
(600 pounds of 12-4-8 per acre). For non-bearing vines,
fertilize in band one foot from vine at 1/4 pound per vine
every month. Do not fertilize newly set plants until March,
after growth begins.
4. Begin clean cultivation around plants. Chopping or mowing
of row middles may be necessary.
5. Complete planting and grafting operations in February.
6. Water graft mounds as needed.
March
1. When bunch grape buds are 2 inches long begin spraying bearing
vines every two weeks. Include insecticide when needed.z
2. Dig up buried cuttings and plant in nursery as soon as buds
swell but before they sprout.
3. Water young plants and graft mounds as needed.
4. Prune, stake, and train young plants and grafts to a single
shoot, using raffia to tie tender growth to stake.
5. Hoe and fertilize non-bearing plants.Y
6. Apply Karmex or Paraquat herbicides in mature vineyard.z
7. Disk under the winter cover crop in row middles.
April
1. Spray bunch grapes with fungicide. At least one fungicidal
spray during full bloom is important. Apply insecticide if
-needed but do not use Sevin during bloom (kills bees).z
2. Epsom salts at 5 lbs./100 gal. water may be mixed with
fungicides during growing season as needed to correct
Magnesium deficiency.
3. Water young plants and graft mounds as needed.
4. Continue sprouting, tying with raffia, and training of young
vines and grafts.
z See County Agent for current pesticide spray schedule.
Y See No. 3 under February recommendations.
-3-
5. Hoe and fertilize non-bearing plants.Y
6. Begin building trellises in new plantings.
7. Remove graft mounds when scions are about 15 inches long.
Cut off any scion roots and stake up to trellis.
May
1. Continue spraying bunch grapes every two weeks with fungicide.
Begin spraying muscadines with fungicide when blooms open,
applying every two weeks thereafter. Include insecticide
when insects are causing damage.z
2. Fertilize non-bearing plants.Y Broadcast second application
to bearing bunch grape vines (600 pounds of 12-4-8 per acre).
3. Water and cultivate as needed. Apply Paraquat as needed.z
4. Continue trellis construction in new plantings.
5. For young vines and grafts continue sprouting, staking each
vine and securing to trellis, tying with twine and training.
June
1. Spray with fungicide. Include insecticide if grape leaf
hopper or other insects become severe.z
2. Water young vines if needed.
3. Broadcast second application to bearing muscadine vines (600
pounds of 12-4-8 per acre). Fertilize non-bearing plants.Y
4. As needed, continue staking, tying, training and sprouting
of young vines.
5. Reset skips with container-grown plants after rains begin.
6. Apply Paraquat when weeds are 3 to 6 inches high. Apply
Karmex herbicide (if not done in March) to mature vineyard.z
7. Disk row middles and sow summer cover crop, if needed (late
June). Keep middles mowed if grass and weed cover is used.
8. Begin making softwood cuttings of muscadines for propagation
under mist. Apply liquid fertilizer to cuttings after 3
weeks in bed.
z See County Agent for current pesticide spray schedule.
Y See No. 3 under February recommendations.
-4-
July
1. Spray with fungicide. Include insecticide when needed. Check
the "days before harvest" column on attached schedule.z
2. Harvest bunch grapes when ripe. Transport rapidly to
refrigeration.
3. Cultivate and hoe, as necessary. Paraquat may be used to
control weeds in lieu of hoeing.z Mow row middles as needed.
4. Fertilize non-bearing plants.Y
5. Transplant rooted cuttings in mist bed after 5 weeks in bed
to pots or nursery row.
6. Continue making softwood cuttings of muscadines, compi:*ing
at end of July.
August
1. Harvest muscadines as needed and transport rapidly to
refrigeration.
2. Spray after harvest if diseases or insects become widespread,z
3. Fertilize non-bearing vines.y
4. Repeat Paraquat applications as needed to control weeds in
vine row.z
5. Mow row middles as needed.
6. Transplant rooted cuttings in mist bed to pots or nursery.
September
1. Continue cultivation and hoeing if necessary. Repeat Paraquat
applications as needed under vine trellis row.z
2. Mow row middles as needed.
3. Spray with fungicide or insecticide if needed.z
4. Take soil samples for pH and fertility determinations.
5. Fertilize non-bearing vines if needed.Y Do not apply fertilizer
after September 15 to allow proper hardening for winter.
z See County Agent for current pesticide spray schedule.
Y See No. 3 under February recommendations.
-5-
October
1. Prepare for new plantings by applying dolomite (if needed),
plowing, and disking. Plowing is important to loosen deeper
layers of soil even if sod is not growing on surface.
Disking alone is too shallow to accomplish this.
2. Repair equipment for future use, such as picking boxes,
pruning shears, tar paper rings for graft mounds.
November
1. Disk summer cover crop. Sow winter cover crop.
2. Install a lightning ground wire galvanizedd 9 gauge) every
90-100 ft. along each trellis row and at each end of t-.Illis.
3. Remove unwanted vines (roots and tops) and cultivate area
for replanting during winter.
December
1. In late December, begin early dormant pruning. Prune late
bunch grape varieties and muscadines first.
2. Begin planting of young vines.
3. Broadcast dolomitic limestone to bearing vines in order to
bring soil reaction to pH 6.0, if needed.
Note: The use of trade names in this publication is solely for
the purposes of providing specific information. It is not a
guarantee or warranty of the products named and does not signify
that they are approved to the exclusion of others of similar
composition.
HISTORIC NOTE
The publications in this collection do
not reflect current scientific knowledge
or recommendations. These texts
represent the historic publishing
record of the Institute for Food and
Agricultural Sciences and should be
used only to trace the historic work of
the Institute and its staff. Current IFAS
research may be found on the
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(EDIS)
site maintained by the Florida
Cooperative Extension Service.
Copyright 2005, Board of Trustees, University
of Florida
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