Think green when growing grapes:
Green thumb, green money needed to get vineyard into production

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

Seminar participants enter the Dry Comal Creek Vineyard through an archway as they move throughout the grape vines. The seminar was hosted by Texas Cooperative Extension. -Staff photo by Taylor

October 17, 2002 -- "We're hoping, maybe, for a 'break even' year. ... It's a very, very expensive business to get into," said Franklin Houser, owner of Dry Comal Creek Vineyard out of New Braunfels.

After being in the business for five years, Houser was host to a recent grape growing seminar, sponsored by the Texas Cooperative Extension offices of Hays and Comal counties.

While Houser discussed what it is like to be the owner of a vineyard and described the trial and error period he has seen since 1997, Dr. Jim Kamas, assistant professor and Extension fruit specialist from Gillespie County, talked about the various varieties of grapes, soil conditions and disease control.

Eighteen months after planning his first grapes, Houser said he produced 900 cases of wine.

"If you put juice in a container (barrel), you're going to make wine! You can't prevent it, either," he said laughingly.

Houser discussed the soil in the area and said that although it is rich, he had to find a way to release the iron into the soil, which is necessary to grow grapes.

"I learned I could put all the fertilizer on (the vines) that I wanted to, but nothing was going to happen, because the iron was bound up. What I had to do was find a way to release the iron," he added.

Dr. Jim Kamas, Extension fruit specialist (with cap), discusses some of the topics to be covered during the event with vineyard owner Franklin Houser. -Staff photo by Taylor

Kamas told the group that site selection plays a very important part in the success of a vineyard. He said the ideal soil is a well-drained sandy loam, with "a well-drained sandy clay subsoil located 18- to 20-inches below the surface."

While rocky sites can be tolerated, he said the area should have at least three feet of soil above the bedrock for good root production.

"Site selection is the number one way to avoid Pierce's disease (PD)." said Kamas. PD is the chief problem grape growers in this part of the United States face. The disease is spread by insects as they travel and feed plant-to-plant. First identified in the Gulf Coast states, PD constricts the movement of water through the grapevine, which leads to the death of that vine.

Besides selecting a good site to deter the negative affects of insects, producers are encouraged to select a site with good drainage. Grapevines cannot tolerate being in standing water. Fortunately for producers in South Central Texas and the Hill Country, this is not difficult to achieve.

"A lot of people have trouble with grapes standing in water. With the soils we have down here, I've had grapes standing in water for a week to 10 days, and it doesn't seem to bother them. They just go right on," Kamas explained.

The grape producer also pointed out that weed management in and around the vineyard is very critical.

Another important issue for prospective growers is soil analysis. Kamas said anyone can contact the Extension agent in their county to find out how to test the soil, before starting a vineyard.

Houser started his vineyard with 23 varieties of grapes and only three survived. According to Kamas, the main varieties of grapes grown in this area of Texas include Chardonnay (for white wine), and Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (for red wines.)

Although growers tend to grow what they like, many cannot tolerate the PD risks, and soil types. Spanish and Portuguese grapes tolerate the South Central Texas area very well, but aren't as popular to grow.

According to Kamas, to remain profitable, vineyards should produce an average yield of 3.5 to 5 tons of grapes per acre, and to establish one acre of vineyard costs range from $10,000 and up. Obviously, it is not an industry for the faint of heart.

Both Kamas and Houser advised interested growers to talk with as many people already in the business as possible, to help assure that a vineyard is really what that want. Houser said he's only been away from his business two weekends in five years, so it takes close supervision to be successful.

Houser said when he first got interested, he read a couple of books to learn how to make wine, and confessed it's "not rocket science."

After touring the vineyard and viewing various vines and problems, even with the "state-of-the-art" equipment, those attending the seminar walked away with a new attitude on owning a vineyard.