Winemaking (rec.crafts.winemaking) Discussion of the process, recipes, tips, techniques and general exchange of lore on the process, methods and history of wine making. Includes traditional grape wines, sparkling wines & champagnes.

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Default Grape vines and the Birds from Hell

I have been making wine for about 3+ years now, by using purchased grape
juice or wild berries. I just finished bottling blackberry wine, with
berries picked by my "dear old momma" (key Italian music in background). I
am in Wisconsin, but I decided to plant 6 vines in the backyard. They have
been in for about 3 years and I get plenty of grapes, but they never ripen
due to the fact they get overwhelmed by birds (I literally got one
....1!!!.... ripe grape this year).
I want to put netting over the vines but my wife is afraid that the birds
will get caught in it. Anyone have any experience in vines and protecting
them? (And yes, I know the futility of trying to grow grapes in Wisconsin.
But I am stubborn that way.)


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Default Grape vines and the Birds from Hell

Same thing happened with me (grandpa's grapes though). I put up netting and
the raccoons, at night, ate them all. Is there anything we could spray (and
then wash off) on them to keep the birds and critters away from them?

"Joel R Anderson" > wrote in message
...
>I have been making wine for about 3+ years now, by using purchased grape
>juice or wild berries. I just finished bottling blackberry wine, with
>berries picked by my "dear old momma" (key Italian music in background). I
>am in Wisconsin, but I decided to plant 6 vines in the backyard. They have
>been in for about 3 years and I get plenty of grapes, but they never ripen
>due to the fact they get overwhelmed by birds (I literally got one
>...1!!!.... ripe grape this year).
> I want to put netting over the vines but my wife is afraid that the birds
> will get caught in it. Anyone have any experience in vines and protecting
> them? (And yes, I know the futility of trying to grow grapes in
> Wisconsin. But I am stubborn that way.)
>



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Default Grape vines and the Birds from Hell

Hi Joel
Don't worry about the birds. I have been netting for over 5 years now and
have never had a bird tangled in the netting. I have been completely
covering the vines top, ends and sides. Occasionally a bird (or other
critter) will find a way underneath or elsewhere and have some difficulty
trying to find their way out but they eventually make it without getting
tangled. Snakes are another story. I have had two black snakes get tangled
in the netting. Fortunately a skunk found his way out last year.

There is a commercial grower near me who does not cover the top of his
vineyard. He merely hooks two approximately three foot wide panels together
at the bottom along the entire row where the trunks meets the cordons with
plastic "C" hooks and then fastens each side up on a trellis wire above.
This leaves the very top of the row open a few inches three feet up from the
trunk and cordon but he has not had any problem and claims the birds are two
dumb to find their way down through the canopy from the slight opening at
the top. I am going to try this technique next year. It makes for a lot
easier maintenance (hedging etc) and uses less netting.

I would think you can grow some good wine in Wisconsin. Look up information
on Frontenac grapes (both red and white varieties) and Traminette. I think
you might have success growing these varieties where you are located. I
live in Central Maryland and bought some Traminette grapes this year from a
commercial grower. The grape variety has Gewurtztraminer as one of its
parents and is a very delicious wine. The grower claimes it is a LOT less
problem to grow than a lot of the other white varieties and is also cold
hardy. I know there are some vineyards in Michigan that are starting to
growing it. I belive that the Frontenac was developed for growing in cold
climates such as Minnesota so you should be able to grow this as well.

Good luck with your wine growing.


"Joel R Anderson" > wrote in message
...
>I have been making wine for about 3+ years now, by using purchased grape
>juice or wild berries. I just finished bottling blackberry wine, with
>berries picked by my "dear old momma" (key Italian music in background). I
>am in Wisconsin, but I decided to plant 6 vines in the backyard. They have
>been in for about 3 years and I get plenty of grapes, but they never ripen
>due to the fact they get overwhelmed by birds (I literally got one
>...1!!!.... ripe grape this year).
> I want to put netting over the vines but my wife is afraid that the birds
> will get caught in it. Anyone have any experience in vines and protecting
> them? (And yes, I know the futility of trying to grow grapes in
> Wisconsin. But I am stubborn that way.)
>



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Default Grape vines and the Birds from Hell

Joel R Anderson wrote:
> I have been making wine for about 3+ years now, by using purchased grape
> juice or wild berries. I just finished bottling blackberry wine, with
> berries picked by my "dear old momma" (key Italian music in background). I
> am in Wisconsin, but I decided to plant 6 vines in the backyard. They have
> been in for about 3 years and I get plenty of grapes, but they never ripen
> due to the fact they get overwhelmed by birds (I literally got one
> ...1!!!.... ripe grape this year).
> I want to put netting over the vines but my wife is afraid that the birds
> will get caught in it. Anyone have any experience in vines and protecting
> them? (And yes, I know the futility of trying to grow grapes in Wisconsin.
> But I am stubborn that way.)
>
>


Instead of netting perhaps a rigid cover such as chicken wire would be
safer for the birds. You can also buy noise makers, hang streamers or a
scarecrow. You might also use a scare decoy such as a plastic owl.

I'd like to try growing fruits for wines and am also worried about the
birds eating the fruit.

Andrew
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Default Grape vines and the Birds from Hell


"Andrew" > wrote in message
news:Ha23h.253827$5R2.30927@pd7urf3no...
> Joel R Anderson wrote:
>> I have been making wine for about 3+ years now, by using purchased grape
>> juice or wild berries. I just finished bottling blackberry wine, with
>> berries picked by my "dear old momma" (key Italian music in background).
>> I am in Wisconsin, but I decided to plant 6 vines in the backyard. They
>> have been in for about 3 years and I get plenty of grapes, but they never
>> ripen due to the fact they get overwhelmed by birds (I literally got one
>> ...1!!!.... ripe grape this year).
>> I want to put netting over the vines but my wife is afraid that the birds
>> will get caught in it. Anyone have any experience in vines and
>> protecting them? (And yes, I know the futility of trying to grow grapes
>> in Wisconsin. But I am stubborn that way.)

>
> Instead of netting perhaps a rigid cover such as chicken wire would be
> safer for the birds. You can also buy noise makers, hang streamers or a
> scarecrow. You might also use a scare decoy such as a plastic owl.
>
> I'd like to try growing fruits for wines and am also worried about the
> birds eating the fruit.
>
> Andrew


Birds do not get caught in the neeting - at least this has been my
experience and experience of others. Chicken wire would be difficult to
install and make maintenance of vineyard difficult. Noise makers, decoys,
streamers etc don't work for very long. In my opinion, netting is the
preferred option and not that expensive. It can be taken down and re-used
multiple times. You might consider it for your fruit trees. You can buy it
in 14 foot widths and can joing the panels together with plastic "C" hooks
if needed.




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Default Grape vines and the Birds from Hell

Agree with Paul's commets. I have apx. 200 vines and net all of them. A year
ago, I was late getting the netting out on the Syrah - and lost them all to
the birds! So now I get the nets out right as veraison sets in, white grape
varieties at the same time, and net em all. So far, nary a single bird hurt.
As Paul said, if you don;t tack the nets down, or close the ends off, some
birds will get in and get all frantic if you scare them up while they're in
there - but they always get back out. Better to clos eit all up and prevent
them getting in.

Alternatively, you can "shoot and release". Somehow though, starlings don;t
fly real well after a butt full of #8 shot!


>I have been making wine for about 3+ years now, by using purchased grape
>juice or wild berries. I just finished bottling blackberry wine, with
>berries picked by my "dear old momma" (key Italian music in background). I
>am in Wisconsin, but I decided to plant 6 vines in the backyard. They have
>been in for about 3 years and I get plenty of grapes, but they never ripen
>due to the fact they get overwhelmed by birds (I literally got one
>...1!!!.... ripe grape this year).
> I want to put netting over the vines but my wife is afraid that the birds
> will get caught in it. Anyone have any experience in vines and protecting
> them? (And yes, I know the futility of trying to grow grapes in
> Wisconsin. But I am stubborn that way.)
>
>



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Default Grape vines and the Birds from Hell

On Sat, 04 Nov 2006 15:17:59 GMT, Andrew >
wrote:

>
>>
>>

>
>Instead of netting perhaps a rigid cover such as chicken wire would be
>safer for the birds. You can also buy noise makers, hang streamers or a
>scarecrow. You might also use a scare decoy such as a plastic owl.
>


I have yet to use a net... Some years we have a problem with birds and
with racoons. Starllings, robins, bluejay, and even the woodpecker.

NOW I must tell you the story of the owl. Several years back my
dad bought me a plastic owl for my birthday. It stands about 8 inches
tall is battery operated with a motion sensor and says "who who"

Noticing the birds in the grapes I placed the owl on the grape line
post one evening and went to the Gazebo for dinner. Coming back
from dinner I could hear this owl hooting like crazy.. It was laying
on the ground hooting all by itself. Hmmm how did it fall off the
post. I put him back up on the post and he settled down to being
quiet. I went to the house and turned around just in time to see the
big paliated woodpecker come diving out from the trees above our place
directly on the owl. He knocked him off the post which set off the
sensor and the woodpecker proceded to attack the owl by pecking at it
like crazy. I was within 5 ft of this argument when the woodpecker
finely relented and flew off. The owl had peckermarks in it. I gave
up on this idea.

Last year we lost a lot of grapes to birds and racoons.. this year not
a one. It varies from year to year here. Next year I buy a net. Both
vinyards here use nets.

Marv
On Saltspring Island



>I'd like to try growing fruits for wines and am also worried about the
>birds eating the fruit.
>
>Andrew

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Default Grape vines and the Birds from Hell

My experience is that if you do a good job of netting you won't get any
birds in the net. I have a small hobby vineyard, (about 1300' of row) and
didn't have a single dead bird this year. (As training for wife, suggest you
get a good pellet gun and murder as many birds as possible. She may fund the
nets!)
"Joel R Anderson" > wrote in message
...
> I have been making wine for about 3+ years now, by using purchased grape
> juice or wild berries. I just finished bottling blackberry wine, with
> berries picked by my "dear old momma" (key Italian music in background).

I
> am in Wisconsin, but I decided to plant 6 vines in the backyard. They

have
> been in for about 3 years and I get plenty of grapes, but they never ripen
> due to the fact they get overwhelmed by birds (I literally got one
> ...1!!!.... ripe grape this year).
> I want to put netting over the vines but my wife is afraid that the birds
> will get caught in it. Anyone have any experience in vines and protecting
> them? (And yes, I know the futility of trying to grow grapes in

Wisconsin.
> But I am stubborn that way.)
>
>



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