A question to all who grow there own grapes;

I live in Southern California and have pocket gophers on my property. I
will be receiving my first grapevines in January sometime and would like to
know how people handle gophers and if gophers are attracted to grapevine
roots.

My thought is to encircle hardware cloth (small 1/4 inch fencing) around the
roots and trunk as I plant the vines. I would probably sink the fence about
1.5 feet under ground and let it run about 1.5 feet above the ground. I am
concerned that the underground portion might constrict the roots over the
years as the plant gets larger.

Does anyone have an opinion on this. Do I even need to bother at all. I
will post to a gardening group if I don't get an answer here. Thanks.

ps- I will not poison, kill, or trap the gophers. I have a barn owl nestbox
up to control the population but I believe in living WITH nature, not
dominating it.

figaro wrote:

> A question to all who grow there own grapes;
>
> I live in Southern California and have pocket gophers on my property. I
> will be receiving my first grapevines in January sometime and would like
> to know how people handle gophers and if gophers are attracted to
> grapevine roots.

I don't know about pocket gophers but my vines here in Maryland are not
bothered by groundhogs. I don't know if they have the same diet.

This is a little off topic but approximately how many vines and linear feet
are needed to produce enough grapes for a few 5 gallon batches?

David


"Paul E. Lehmann" > wrote in message
...
> figaro wrote:
>
> > A question to all who grow there own grapes;
> >
> > I live in Southern California and have pocket gophers on my property. I
> > will be receiving my first grapevines in January sometime and would like
> > to know how people handle gophers and if gophers are attracted to
> > grapevine roots.
>
> I don't know about pocket gophers but my vines here in Maryland are not
> bothered by groundhogs. I don't know if they have the same diet.

This is a little off topic but approximately how many vines and linear feet
are needed to produce enough grapes for a few 5 gallon batches?

David


"Paul E. Lehmann" > wrote in message
...
> figaro wrote:
>
> > A question to all who grow there own grapes;
> >
> > I live in Southern California and have pocket gophers on my property. I
> > will be receiving my first grapevines in January sometime and would like
> > to know how people handle gophers and if gophers are attracted to
> > grapevine roots.
>
> I don't know about pocket gophers but my vines here in Maryland are not
> bothered by groundhogs. I don't know if they have the same diet.

>
> My thought is to encircle hardware cloth (small 1/4 inch fencing)
around the
> roots and trunk as I plant the vines. I would probably sink the
fence about
> 1.5 feet under ground and let it run about 1.5 feet above the
ground. I am
> concerned that the underground portion might constrict the roots
over the
> years as the plant gets larger.
>

I've no idea if they can damage grapes, but they can dig deeper than
1.5'.

If you are into natural control you might introduce a couple of cats,
but then they may not be able to co-exist with the owls. Also, if you
live in coyote country they probably won't last long.

--arne

>
> My thought is to encircle hardware cloth (small 1/4 inch fencing)
around the
> roots and trunk as I plant the vines. I would probably sink the
fence about
> 1.5 feet under ground and let it run about 1.5 feet above the
ground. I am
> concerned that the underground portion might constrict the roots
over the
> years as the plant gets larger.
>

I've no idea if they can damage grapes, but they can dig deeper than
1.5'.

If you are into natural control you might introduce a couple of cats,
but then they may not be able to co-exist with the owls. Also, if you
live in coyote country they probably won't last long.

--arne

news-server.triad.rr.com wrote:

> This is a little off topic but approximately how many vines and linear
> feet are needed to produce enough grapes for a few 5 gallon batches?
>
> David

Suggest you get the very inexpensive but excellent book "From Vines to Wine"
by Jeff Cox. This will answer your question plus the many others that are
likely to come up once you start.

news-server.triad.rr.com wrote:

> This is a little off topic but approximately how many vines and linear
> feet are needed to produce enough grapes for a few 5 gallon batches?
>
> David

Suggest you get the very inexpensive but excellent book "From Vines to Wine"
by Jeff Cox. This will answer your question plus the many others that are
likely to come up once you start.

"figaro" > wrote in message
...
> I will not poison, kill, or trap the gophers. I have a barn owl nestbox
> up to control the population but I believe in living WITH nature, not
> dominating it.

You might consider planting geraniums. Gophers hate 'em.

Tom S

"Tom S" > wrote in message
. com...
>
> "figaro" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I will not poison, kill, or trap the gophers. I have a barn owl nestbox
> > up to control the population but I believe in living WITH nature, not
> > dominating it.
>
> You might consider planting geraniums. Gophers hate 'em.

They don't like ammo either

Steve

"Tom S" > wrote in message
. com...
>
> "figaro" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I will not poison, kill, or trap the gophers. I have a barn owl nestbox
> > up to control the population but I believe in living WITH nature, not
> > dominating it.
>
> You might consider planting geraniums. Gophers hate 'em.

They don't like ammo either

Steve

"Tom S" > wrote in message
. com...
>
> "figaro" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I will not poison, kill, or trap the gophers. I have a barn owl nestbox
> > up to control the population but I believe in living WITH nature, not
> > dominating it.
>
> You might consider planting geraniums. Gophers hate 'em.

They don't like ammo either

Steve

"Steve Thompson" > wrote in message
news:TpOdnYA8et-> > You might consider planting geraniums. Gophers hate
'em.
>
> They don't like ammo either
>
For larger pests the right pesticide is a lead based spray.

"Steve Thompson" > wrote in message
news:TpOdnYA8et-> > You might consider planting geraniums. Gophers hate
'em.
>
> They don't like ammo either
>
For larger pests the right pesticide is a lead based spray.

"Steve Thompson" > wrote in message
news:TpOdnYA8et-> > You might consider planting geraniums. Gophers hate
'em.
>
> They don't like ammo either
>
For larger pests the right pesticide is a lead based spray.

Thanks,

David

Thanks,

David

On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 20:31:16 -0500, "J F" > wrote:

>
>"Steve Thompson" > wrote in message
>news:TpOdnYA8et-> > You might consider planting geraniums. Gophers hate
>'em.
>>
>> They don't like ammo either
>>
>For larger pests the right pesticide is a lead based spray.

LOL! You betcha! - A cat can work wonders, too, though. The tomcat we
have now came to us as an 8 or 9 month old half-wild, half-starved
stray, apparently used to pretty much fending for himself. He's
absolute terror on all burrowing varmints,...utterly devouring their
wee bodies and leaving just the heads for us to discover as evidence
of his preditory conquests. He's a darn good little hunter and you
better believe we reward him well for keeping our garden and miniscule
vineyard rodent-free. Just wish he wouldn't take-out the garter
snakes, gopher snakes and humming birds <g>,...but hey, as long as it
supplements his diet with kitty delacacies...<g> ;-)

On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 20:31:16 -0500, "J F" > wrote:

>
>"Steve Thompson" > wrote in message
>news:TpOdnYA8et-> > You might consider planting geraniums. Gophers hate
>'em.
>>
>> They don't like ammo either
>>
>For larger pests the right pesticide is a lead based spray.

LOL! You betcha! - A cat can work wonders, too, though. The tomcat we
have now came to us as an 8 or 9 month old half-wild, half-starved
stray, apparently used to pretty much fending for himself. He's
absolute terror on all burrowing varmints,...utterly devouring their
wee bodies and leaving just the heads for us to discover as evidence
of his preditory conquests. He's a darn good little hunter and you
better believe we reward him well for keeping our garden and miniscule
vineyard rodent-free. Just wish he wouldn't take-out the garter
snakes, gopher snakes and humming birds <g>,...but hey, as long as it
supplements his diet with kitty delacacies...<g> ;-)