Starting a Vineyard from Scratch Part 1. Ground Preparation.

Ground preparation for a vineyard was the first step in our journey to produce our very own english wine. We decided to start a vineyard in our little corner of paradise in Herefordshire.
However, before we could plant anything, we need to sort out the field which was in a poor state.The field was approximately 1 acre of loamy soil with some light clay.
Not idea for grapes but we work with what we have. The ground slopes approximately 10 degrees to the East South East direction.
I've also written a book!! On How To Start a Vineyard and is available on Amazon on the following link: amzn.eu/d/5ZER7c8
Step 1. Cutting down the upper slope hedges that made long shadows over the field. Sorting branches out into different sizes for logging.
Step 2. Treating the field with weedkiller (glyphoshate) to get rid of all the couch grass, nettles, brambles etc
Step 3. Subsoiling the ground to help with drainage and also help with the ploughing stage
Step 4. PloughingStep
5. Crushing the big clods from the ploughStep
6. HarrowingStep
7. SeedingStep
8. Chain HarrowingStep
9. Rolling.
10. Have a glass of wine and look at all the hard work done.
Equipment and Companies used:
Stilh Chainsaws MS230 and MS170
Remet R120 Branch Logger
bostonseeds.com - Used the amenity low maintenance grass seed
Jordan Lee Farm Services
Little Orange tractor is a Kubuta L3845
Quad bike was a Yamaha
Big Red tractor is a Massey Ferguson
Big Blue Tracto is a New Holland
Drone shots were by a DJI Spark
Ground Video was using a Canon D600
Software used was Filmora Wondershare 9
If you want to see my other channel that is completely unrelated to this one then you can do so on this link:
/ @talkingmoney5990

[@oryben]

I stumbled upon this randomly and this has been incredible. My wife and I live in Ontario, sandwiched between two wine regions . We love wines and love learning about them. Please keep it up!

[@mycountrylife810]

Hi there. Thank you for your kind comments and hello to lovely Canada. Will post vineyard videos soon.

[@hakunamoscato5353]

Great Video

[@GEOPH2625]

Loving this video.

[@DJ-uk5mm]

Hi there I really appreciated this video I’ve just decided to become a farmer I don’t know anything about farming but I’m currently buying a piece of land and I’ve enrolled At the University of KZbin (LOL)I’m particularly interested in regenerative farming/ permaculture agroforestry and alley cropping….. also growing from Miscanthus for bio fuel and straw bales for construction. Came across your video as I thought about planting a small vineyard. The soul on the land I had to purchase is talking with natural springs so I should be okay for irrigation water it’s also Southwest facing which I’m guessing should be good for planting a vineyard.Thank you for sharing your progress excited to see how you get on :-)

[@paulbraga4460]

wonderful. i would had a soil test though...mygreathanks and blessings

[@aminharati]

very useful play list

[@Jason-o5s]

Cheer~~~a plantation of grapevines, typically producing grapes used in winemaking.😊

[@e.m.doherty723]

Thank you for sharing this. Ive seen all your videos. I have just planted a micro vineyard in my South facing sloped garden on the South Coast, chalk ground. I have some Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc. I have two spaces left because I want to plant a native breed. Do you know of a native English white drinking grape and could you help point me in the right direction of where to get it? Many thanks.

[@mycountrylife810]

Hi there. That’s fantastic!! Ive always found Derek at winegrowers.info. very helpful and knowledgeable on vine sourcing. He’s helped us. Not sure on a particular native uk vine but he will probably point you in the right direction on that score. Good luck in your vineyard

[@e.m.doherty723]

@@mycountrylife810 Thanks for the info. I’ll check him out.

[@pauleaton6908]

Brilliant looking great, your clearly a very proficient bodger! We've got a small wood full of ash die back so this could be a great way to be resilient I the future, and a fun science project to do with my lad one day😎👍

[@shubhamghosh2902]

Five years ago I watched a series on motovlogging to pursue my passion and I have probably achieved great feats in it. Today after five years I've subscribed to a completely new web series to achieve my ambition. Thank you and @youtubeindia

[@kokkorug8222]

Hello. From 5.27 in the video, what is the name of the seed you planted? How often do you plan to plough and sow seeds? If you are going to plough and sow seeds again after a certain period, will you be using the same seed?

[@mycountrylife810]

Hi there. We used a mix of grass seed but it was mainly fescue which is meant to be slow growing. I don't intend to plough or reseed it again. Mowing it on a fairly frequent basis keeps it under control. We needed to lay grass so that we didn't end up with a mud patch in the winter time or when it rained heavily.

[@kokkorug8222]

@@mycountrylife810 I am researching solutions for weed control. Thank you.

[@coolpants99]

Incredible and inspiring. Good luck! I've subscribed

[@mycountrylife810]

You are too kind. Thank you.

[@rakadoni8403]

​@@mycountrylife810 What do you mean by "sub-soiled the ground"?

[@arotogtech]

Lovely and inspiring stuff. I'm harbouring intentions to own my own vineyard some day. How big is your land? Who does the planning, designs, and where to plant etc?? I surely wouldn't mind to pay for your professional knowledge should it require. I have liked and subscribed.

[@ElCorozo]

Great video, I really enjoyed it, greetings from Mexico!

[@mycountrylife810]

Thank you. More videos from the vineyard to follow. Hello Mexico!!

[@KristofferLance]

Fascinating video. I have land in a wine-growing region and have often fantasized about starting my own vineyard. Quick question... what is the point of the grass?

[@streetgainer]

Could I ask why seed grass directly over where the vines will be? I thought it supposed to be totally cleared of grass and weed.

[@mycountrylife810]

Hi there. There are a few reasons why we planted grass seed. A planted grass seed prevents wild grasses and weeds from establishing so readily and also planting a quick established grass means that we can repeatedly drive over it with machinery without wearing the soil underneath even in wet weather. If we had just left it, we would get a muddy mess at down the rows especially at the ends where we turn the tractor around.

[@brianbarnes9635]

It's a lot of work doing this. I've started a similar project earlier this year and have four rows of grapes in. I suspect (depending on where you are) that you are going to have a problem with deer! I know I am. That's not going to stop me though. I've taken up shooting them and eating them.

[@mycountrylife810]

Hi there. You are quite right regarding deer. We put up deer netting round the whole field. Fingers crossed they don’t jump over or find a way in.

[@brianbarnes9635]

@@mycountrylife810 I thought so..... I saw the woods. Our vineyard will be fairly small compared to your vineyard. Our rows are only 40 foot long and we'll end up with about 10-12 rows. But I also have a large patch of daylilies where I make new hybrids. The deer can't stay away from my place. I'd love to put up a fence around the place but it's just not the kind of place where I am wanting a fence to be.... Kinda just not the atmosphere I'm wanting. Tough to explain. I'd like to thin out the deer population and receive minimal damage. Good luck with everything. I see you're in England. I don't believe I've ever tried wine from England! Have to keep an eye out. I have a friend in Scotland who has told me about buckfast.

[@antoniolopes8776]

@@brianbarnes9635 I read that wine produced in the extreme south of England is of very good quality. But I have never tasted it because it is not for sale in Portugal. Besides selling British wine in Portugal would be like selling snow to Inuit people.

[@davejones4269]

Out of interest did you think of planting white cover with the fescue as a nitrogen fixer ?

[@freddiegray4468]

Hello, I have started my own mini vineyard but Iam curious where you bought your vines from as I can’t find a place to purchase them. Many thanks from Freddie

[@antoniolopes8776]

My heart ached when I saw you burning stuff. That organic material could have been chopped to pieces and integrated in the compost pile. Soil would thank you for your kindness.

[@mycountrylife810]

Hi there. Not totally wasted as we gather up the charcoal and heat our house with it. I have a seperate video on that too.

[@SmithyJones420]

Step 1. Poison land .. 😵‍💫😣😢 Happy you led with this so I could immediately not watch any more of your videos.

[@reisc23]

I thought the same thing 😅

[@bonnycot]

Oh dear using glyphosate 😟 and burning….

[@MJCdoesstuff]

Really enjoy your videos and I have been following from in Southwest, Ohio. Im a visual learner, so your videos have been very helpful. I have 400 vines coming next week and just installed my first row of end posts. My question is, why did you decide to go with rabbit mesh compared to grow tubes? I ordered the mesh, but see so many with grow tube. Thanks in advance for your help!

[@valarieannaliza8805]

NE OHIO here! Want to get into growing. Where did you order the vines from? How’s it going so far for you? Would love to connect!

[@MykhailoParapan]

Thanks for videos. What kind of vine did you plant?

[@mycountrylife810]

Hi there. We planted the 'Bacchus' variety on an so4 rootstock. This combination apparently does quite well in our latitudes on relatively poor draining soils, but we shall see....

[@nolab86]

Great video, whats the size of the lot your using to grow?

[@mycountrylife810]

Hi there. The field itself is about one acre, but the vines only take up about a third of this area. In theory I think you can plant about 1000 vines per acre. Hope this helps.

[@northernwing]

Land preparation is more or less like tea plantation. I have a experience in tea industry now I want to have my own vineyard in India. But I need a practical experience in europe

[@benkaubisch2665]

why would you poison the ground you are about to plant?

[@mycountrylife810]

Hi there. Simply to start from a new base. The grasses that were there beforehand would have choked off the new vines and competed for any nutrients that the new plants need to get established.

[@benkaubisch2665]

@@mycountrylife810 ok i get that. but herbicides are just one way to manage this, and besides, after a year or two, the adjacent fields will seed your vineyard with all the native grasses that were there before. so how do you manage weeds in your vineyard from season to season, year to year? do you worry that residues from the herbicides end up in your wine? or if not your wine because a few years pass between planting, and the first fermentation, then in groundwater?

[@rightman5067]

You sprayed glyphosate on your field!? 🫠

[@muhuradedan]

Are the seeds readily available?

[@Julie-jl2kk]

my right ear feels neglected and my left is overwhelmed

[@spectrumhomebrew]

stopped watching by the moment you admit using glyphosate. Very bad way to start your wine story mate.

[@mycountrylife810]

Thanks for your message. Unfortunately, there are not many alternatives at the moment for large areas. Vines just can't compete with the fast growing thistles and grasses that inhabit fields if left. On a general note about broad spectrum weedkillers, world food producers would not be able to keep up with demand.

[@AaronArvold]

you lost me at glyphosate....

[@chip63us]

Why would you poison the ground??

[@mycountrylife810]

Simply to start the ground from scratch and a new seed bed. Young plants just can't compete with vigorous wild grasses, thistles etc