Paul,

Obviously the trench would be great BUT I couldn't afford the backhoe
so here is what I did. I dig a hole about 1-1/2 ft across and about
the lenth of a spade deep. THen I use a post hole digger to dig a
"column" down past the "hardpan". Now depending on your soil you may
be able to forego the posthole digger. What I would do is dig a hole
with the post hole digger an see what the soil is like down to at
least 3 feet. If the digging is easy ( make a couple holes ) then just
dig the planting holes and plant them. Otherwise, use the posthole
digger. BTW, when you plant , plant the vines at the same depth as
they were in the nursery NO DEEPER. It's better to keep them high than
low. I form a hill at the bottom of the hole so the roots spread over
the hill. Obviously I refill the hole and the post hole column to form
this hill before I plant. DO NOT add any compost, just cover the roots
with the dirt you took out. I also put in about 1/2 the dirt over the
roots and fill the hole with water. Then I add the rest of the dirt
and add more water. THe first year I would mulch with something. THe
young vines need alot of water ( 1 in per week) contrary to what you
sometimes read. The water also makes it easier for the vines to get
the nutrients out of the soil.You shouldn't need any fertilizer the
first year if you water them but if you want "sprinkle" a little
19-19-19 around them, that should be fine. Then just watch them grow.
What kind of vines are you getting? If your soil is very acidic you
might want to stick with hybrids. Where do you live? I've learned the
hard ( best) way that you need to match the vines to the climate for
the minimum amount of heartbreak.

Bob

"PFS" > wrote in message k.net>...
> I plan to start about 80 new vines next spring. In some books I've studied,
> (such as Cox's Vines to Wines) it is suggested to have a backhoe dig and
> refill a 3' x 3' ditch in the fall, prior to spring planting. Other books
> have suggested you should do no more than roto-till the ground in the fall,
> and that wholesale sub-soiling is unnecessary.
>
> Does anyone have thoughts on the issue? How do you prep your own new
> plantings?
>
> Thanks,
> Paul