Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/57720
ROOTSTOCK – VARIETIES – POLLINATION Quality from the Start APPLES Aztec Fuji® (DT2 variety) Blondee® High-density Concord grape yields Yields from the most densely planted vines were highest in the third year of production, but then declined. 25 8-foot rows 20 15 Vine spacing 3 ft 6 ft 9 ft 12 ft 10 9-foot rows CHERRIES Attika® Benton™ Bing EbonyPearl™ BlackPearl™ Kootenay™ BurgundyPearl™ Lapins Chelan™ PEARS Bartlett 5 Early Robin® Rainier RadiancePearl™ Hudson Regina Sam Montmorency D'Anjou Columbia Red Anjou™ Forelle Concorde™ Comice PEACHES Allstar 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 SOURCE: Markus Keller, Washington State University 0 Autumnstar® Blazingstar Golden Russet Bosc® Selah™ Red Clapp's Favorite Red Sensation Bartlett Seckel Pinedale Ruby™ Rainier Skeena™ Sweetheart Tieton® Van White Gold Brookfield® Gala Buckeye® Gala Cameo® brand Granny Smith Honeycrisp It® Red Delicious POLLENIZERS Indian Summer Manchurian Joburn Braeburn™ JonaStar® Jonagold Kumeu Crimson® LindaMac® Mariri Red™ Braeburn Morning Mist™ Early Fuji Morren's® Jonagored Supra™ Mt. Blanc Mt. Evereste Pearleaf Snowdrift Redcort® Ruby Jon® Ruby Mac™ Smoothee® Golden Spartan Ultima™ Gala Zestar!® Coral Star Redstar Earlystar™ Elberta Blushingstar Glowingstar Brightstar™ Redhaven Risingstar Starfire Flamin' Fury® Series PF-19-007 PF-7 PF-24-007 PF-17 PF-35-007 PF-25 PF Lucky 13 Varieties listed may not reflect current inventory. will drive up pH. This is true in Concords as well," he said, adding that high pH in juice is not desirable. Keller found dead and dying leaves falling off the outside of the canopy in the high-density vines. In measuring the nutrient concentration of the leaves, he found that 75 percent of the vine's carbon was being recycled out of the leaves and back into the vine before the leaves fell off. More importantly, half of the potassium was recycled from the leaves and sent back to the fruit, essen- tially giving the fruit a double dose of potassium from both the soil and leaves. He concludes that because there was little difference in yield and quality between the 8- and 9-foot row widths, growers could save money by using the wider 9-foot spacing. Wider rows would reduce the total number of plants needed and reduce the amount of trellis material. Traditional spacings of Concord vineyards in Washington State have been from 6 by 9 feet to 9 by 9 feet. Keller believes that the same trends would apply to wine grapes planted in high-density, narrow spacings, except that wine grape canopies are not usu- ally allowed to grow as big as juice grapes, so the effects would not be as acute. He recently visited vineyards in Bordeaux, France, with vines planted a meter apart with a meter between rows. The canopies were hedged continually and looked like a broom, he said, and many of the leaves were gone. "It's never a good situation to have the vines competing for light above the ground." Keller presented his findings during the annual meeting of the Washington State Grape Society held last fall. • www.goodfruit.com GOOD FRUIT GROWER MARCH 15, 2012 39 REPRESENTATIVES Leonard Aubert Jim Adams Hood River, Oregon Washington State (541) 308-6008 aubert@gorge.net (509) 670-7879 Larry Traubel Rick Turton Cedaredge, Colorado Kelowna, B.C. (970) 856-3424 (250) 860-3805 ltraubel@hotmail.com Rey Allred Payson, Utah (801) 465-2321 jimadams@willowdrive.com Larry Lutz Nova Scotia (902) 680-5027 Larry.Lutz@scotiangold.com WILLOW DRIVE NURSERY, INC. 1-888-54-TREES Ephrata, Washington | www.willowdrive.com YIELD (tons/acre) MARKUS KELLER