Vineyard Underground

Starting a vineyard is exciting, but it also presents some unique challenges that new growers are often unprepared for. You have to be wary of things like pests and diseases or make sure you're not overfertilizing your soil. Not to mention, finding an experienced crew that can handle complex and skilled activities in the vineyard. All that can be overwhelming – unless you have a great plan in place. In today's episode, Fritz talks about the top three most common challenges for new grape growers and how to avoid them. If you're an experienced grower, this episode is also a good measure for you to see how far you've come in your vineyard journey. Hopefully, being aware of these challenges and knowing how to prevent them or deal with them will get you prepared for the actual challenges that will come your way as a new grower. In this episode, you will hear: Designing and implementing a pest and disease management program Knowing whether to fertilize and when to apply a fertilizer Identifying the timing and delivery of your fertilizers Determining what fertilizer to use Understanding the soil mobility of certain nutrients Finding and managing vineyard labor Subscribe and Review Have you subscribed to our podcast? We'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Free Resources: Download the Preparing for New Plantings guide to learn about soil sampling for new plantings - https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/grower-guides/preparing_for_new_plantings/ Download the Target Nutrient Values in Soil reference chart- https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/grower-guides/target-nutrient-values-in-soil/ Download the Vineyard Establishment Checklist for a comprehensive list of tasks to complete for starting a vineyard- https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/grower-guides/vineyard-establishment-checklist/ View all Grower Guide resources on Virtual Viticulture Academy https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/grower-guides/ Get Help/Learn More: Click the "Ask Fritz" button at vineyardundergroundpodcast.com to get your vineyard question answered. Get the Prospective Wine Grower Course https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/product/prospective-winegrower-course/ to learn everything you need to start and grow your vineyard successfully. Get help from Fritz to get your vineyard planned and planted with the virtual Vineyard Establishment Package - https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/product/vineyard-establishment-package/ Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

Whether you're new to grape growing or you just need a bit of confidence to assure you're doing things alright, there may be some questions that you might be asking yourself that need some clarification. In today's episode, Fritz reveals the top three questions about growing grapes that he hears all the time. He also shares practical tips to give you the solution and confidence that you need in your vineyard. Fritz has been helping grape growers achieve success in their vineyards for over 20 years through various positions he had held within the industry. Having worked with universities as a private consultant and educator, Fritz has definitely heard a lot of questions related to grape growing. Hopefully, you'll find some things you can apply to your vineyard as well. In this episode, you will hear: The best method to train your newly planted vines What causes the spots on the leaves and what to do with them Spraying vines before or after a rain event Examples of curative products applied after the rain Understanding the modes of action in products Subscribe and Review Have you subscribed to our podcast? We'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Click the "Ask Fritz" button at vineyardundergroundpodcast.com to get your vineyard question answered. Access grower guide resources at Virtual Viticulture Academy - https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/grower-guides/ Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

Why underground? You may ask. Well, have you tried sorting out a vineyard problem? You probably searched for answers in a textbook or some online resource. But what you see online or in textbooks doesn't always apply to your exact situation because there is a lot of variability from one vineyard to the next. You've got to figure out how to get to that perfect picture of what a vine should look like – but the routes can be numerous. Sometimes, we have questions that need a little bit more digging and more effort to get to the right answers. That is what the Vineyard Underground podcast is here for – to help you dig deeper into resources you wouldn't have otherwise gotten from what you see on the surface. Let this podcast help you dig deeper into the problems you find in your vines and help you find the solutions. The Vineyard Underground is your very own underground that allows you to access experts and information about all aspects of grape growing. In this episode, you will hear: The #1 objective of the Vineyard Underground podcast About the Virtual Viticulture Academy and the resources you'll find there Making grape growing education fun, portable, and useful Some experts coming on the show – soon! What you'll get from this podcast week after week Subscribe and Review Have you subscribed to our podcast? We'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Click the "Ask Fritz" button at vineyardundergroundpodcast.com to get your vineyard question answered. Access grower guide resources at Virtual Viticulture Academy - https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/grower-guides/ Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

Welcome to the Vineyard Underground Podcast where we unearth what you need to know to be a better grape grower! Hosted by Fritz Westover, this podcast is designed to help grape growers achieve success in their vineyard journey. In each episode, we'll share best practices in the industry, offer practical tips, and answer questions. We will help growers, like you, make some quick wins through practical information you can directly use in your vineyard. We're bringing in some experts, not just in the field of viticulture (the science of grape growing), but also in soil science, geology, or anything that can impact the way grape vines grow. Having worked and met with a lot of people from various regions all over the country, Fritz brings in a ton of perspective and first-hand knowledge about the art and science of grape growing. Fritz has made mistakes and has seen a lot of mistakes made over the years. And so, the goal is to help you not make those same mistakes. In this episode, Fritz shares his journey and his passion for not just grape growing itself, but also for helping other grape growers excel. He talks about his background, the community he has built through The Virtual Viticulture Academy, and now, the Vineyard Underground Podcast in the hope to reach out to as many people around the world who want to advance in this industry. In this episode, you will hear: Where Fritz's passion for grape growing came from Fritz's educational background in horticulture and plant pathology His first real dive into his career as a viticulturist at Virginia Tech Working with grape growers in Texas The origins of Westover Vineyard Advising Founding the Virtual Viticulture Academy Subscribe and Review Have you subscribed to our podcast? We'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Virtual Viticulture Academy: https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WestoverVineyardAdvising Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westoverviticulture/ Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

What if you could hang out with experienced grape growers, ask them about the science of grape growing, vineyard operations, and more; then take an insight or two to improve your vineyard and ultimately the quality of the wines you produce? That's what we do each week on the Vineyard Underground. Hosted by Fritz Westover –– viticulture expert more than 20 years of experience in the vineyard industry –– every episode is an in-depth look at grape growing methods, care, and even complicated matters of fertilization and pest and disease management? The goal is to provide you an understanding of the the complicated aspects of viticulture science so that experienced and even the first-time grape grower will be able to understand and implement new practices in their vineyard.