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Newville, PA

I hear everyone talking about how they bury their vines...what is this? and what does it do for the plant?

4/11/2003 7:31:33 PM

[email protected]

I can vouch for what happens when you DON'T bury secondaries. Wind events have an easier time ripping all your hard work up & redistributing it in your neighbors yard.
From what I've learned here, we'll be making a shallow trench in front of the expanding secondary vines, & burying them with a compost & manure enriched soil mix that matches the rest of the patches soil.
Aids in anchoring the plant & the secondary rooting that might be rather superficial otherwise.
More experienced AG growers can be of more help & will chime in.

Steve

4/11/2003 9:45:53 PM

In the shade - PDX, OR

There are upper and lower roots that sprout @ every leaf junction along the vine. (Main and secondary) Burying assists this secondary root structure's development.

As to the depth, that is up to the grower. Just make sure that it isn't too deep (>4in). This can stunt or retard male flower development. In early July, you could be at your wit's end wondering what the heck you are going to pollinate with.

Good Luck.
Ceis

4/12/2003 1:14:23 AM

Caceres, mid west of Spain

Hey folks, some growers prefer to trench and bury, some ones just bury without trench, because they said that way is safer for vine health, in order to avoid vine rotting.
What do you think about?
Don

4/12/2003 1:55:19 AM

Rush, NY

I have been burying vines since 1989. Others may have been doing it longer but I was the first one to write an article in what then was the WPC Newsletter........Today all the good growers I know bury vines. A few dig trenches ahead of all the runners they plan on leaving and cover the vine in the trench as it grows. If you don't dig the trench ahead of the runner, you will sometimes dig up roots.... I cover the runners with loose dirt from outside the plant area until I terminate runners. At the end of each terminated runner I lift up the runner 2 to 3 feet back and make a trench 3 to 4 inches deep and push the vine into it and cover it. Sometimes I dig up a few roots but this firmly holds the runner down to minimize wind damage. When shoveling dirt on the runners you need to be careful to not cover all the male flower buds. I do not cover the trunk and 2 to 3 feet on each side of fruit I intend to pollinate.....I know a grower who puts a shovel of well rotted manure on each leaf joint.
In my area covering the vines helps to minimize Squash borers in the runners. To keep them out of the trunk, I use pieces of REMAY and cover the uncovered area as much as possible.
Len Stellpflug

4/12/2003 7:04:28 AM

Usa

I value and I am very grateful for the information people put on this thread. It's not my thread but I copied down every word. Thanks, Diane

4/12/2003 8:54:25 AM

Caceres, mid west of Spain

Very good advice Len, thank you for sharing your experience.

Don

4/12/2003 4:23:38 PM