Plantra Grow Tubes accelerate growth of newly planted grapevines and reduce total vineyard establishment costs

Steffie Littlefield of Potosi, MO sent this great sequence of photos documenting her 2008 vineyard establishment project. All of these photos were taken during the 2008 growing season – in other words, these vines are “first leaf.” This first photo shows terrific site preparation, and the Plantra Grow Tubes placed next to each vine and ready to be installed.

The grow tube was placed behind the dormant grapevine to illustrate the size of the vine at planting time… about 6 inches tall. After the photo was taken the grow tube was placed over the vine and fastened to the stake.

Photo taken a couple weeks later, as the grapevine is breaking bud and starting to grow. The peach/pink color of Plantra Grow Tubes optimizes Red Light – the wavelength range most responsible for fueling photosynthesis & biomass growth – while minimizing the wavelength ranges that simply heat the tube without promoting growth, or which promote stem elongation but not root development or stem thickness.

The vine continues to grow and thrive in the grow tube. Plantra Grow Tubes dramatically reduce moisture stress; instead of closing stomates and shutting down photosynthesis to conserve moisture, the vines are growing more actively more of the time. They are also safe from animal depredation and both mechanical & chemical weed control practices.

A great way to spend a sunny summer day! It’s summer and the vines have not only emerged from the 2.5ft Plantra Grow Tubes, many are more than 6ft tall!
Plantra Grow Tubes are real time-savers for both large scale and “weekend” growers: Notice that the vines don’t need to be trained to the stake until after they emerge from the tubes – saving 2 or 3 passes through the field.

Another shot taken the same day… vines have emerged from the tubes and are ready to be trained to the cordon wire. Plantra Grow Tubes… 1) Typically take 1 year off the time until first harvest 2) Accelerate healthy, balanced growth with thick stems and healthy roots – you get bigger early yields without stressing the vines 3) Protect from animal damage 4) Make weed control fast & easy, while protecting vines from herbicides and mechanical cultivation 5) “Automatically” train vines up the stake, saving 2-3 very labor-intensive passes through the field.

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At Plantra we always say that our customers are our heroes. The late Ron Radoicich of Madera, CA was one of the true heroes of Plantra, a person who taught and gave us more than we ever could give in return. When Ron left us much, much too young we lost not only a customer, but a friend, and a hero.

A small part of Ron’s legacy of innovation was the use of Plantra Grow Tubes on tissue culture pistachio rootstocks. Frustrated with the root deformation often caused by planting larger stock (and which doesn’t manifest itself until the trees are several year old and it’s too late to fix them), Ron pioneered the method of planting tissue culture rootstocks directly in the field so that the root systems develop on site without further disturbance. In the photo a tissue culture pistachio rootstock – planted as a tiny 2 to 4 inch potted plant – is starting to grow in its Plantra Grow Tube.

A perfect marriage of innovative technologies: Without grow tubes planting tiny tissue culture trees into the 110 degree heat & wind of the northern San Joaquin Valley would not be feasible. In one field Ron planted 20,000 trees. We asked how many re-plants he had to do. His answer: Six. Not 600, not 60. Just plain 6.

Just 10 to 12 weeks after planting the trees – just 2 to 4 inches at planting – have long since emerged from the 2ft Plantra Grow Tubes. The consistency of growth is astounding… even to us!

Ron Radoicich explains to Plantra’s Steve Tillmann how he trains the emerging root stocks to a wooden “tomato stake” until they are ready for field grafting. Ron Radoich shows Steve Tillmann where these pistachio rootstocks will be field grafted. In the background Chris Siems searches in vain for a single failed tree! Since Plantra Grow Tubes accelerate the growth of stem thickness as well as height, field budding can be done much sooner. Because Plantra Grow Tubes result in very consistent growth, field budding can be done in fewer passes through the field, since all of the trees are ready to graft at the same time.

Near perfect survival. Rapid growth. Amazing consistency. Thick stems. Root systems developed on site without disturbance. Ron Radoicich left the entire horticulture industry an amazing legacy of innovation. We at Plantra are proud to have played a small role in making his vision possible, and we miss Ron’s passion, knowledge and friendship.

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1st leaf vines trained to a 6 foot cordon wire.

The adjacent photo is a self-portrait of a dedicated field worker using the window of a rented mini-van for a mirror showing the fashionable attire once worn by dedicated grow tube researchers. PS. Unfortunately auto-glass reflections are rarely “slimming.”

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The owner of this Georgia pecan orchard, Jack Thompson is a big fan of Plantra Tree Bark Protectors. Jack reports multiple benefits - any one of which would pay for the Protectors, but when combined make the decision to use Plantra TBP’s a complete "no brainer."

Spray protection - Young pecan trees tend to sucker below the graft. If systemic herbicides like glyphosate (RoundUp) comes in contact with these suckers the tree can be injured or killed. Plantra Tree Bark Protectors reduce the amount of suckering, and shield the few suckers that do occur from herbicide spray...for fast, safe, worry-free weed control applications.

Patrolling the orchard, checking on growth. Judd seems pleased.

Growing tree protected with tree bark protector

Weevils - This grower reports that pecan weevils - the most damaging late season pest of pecans - are repelled by the bright white outer surface of the Plantra Tree Bark Protectors. Given the high cost of managing weevil infestations (monitoring plastic strips and cone traps to determine population levels, spraying insecticides when infestations occur), this is potentially a huge savings to the grower.

Longevity - These Plantra Tree Bark Protectors were placed over these young pecan trees at planting earlier this year (2009). They will stay on these trees for another 2 to 3 years, until the threats of herbicide damage to sucker growth & buck rub have subsided. Then (unfortunately for us!) he’ll be able to re-use them on a new orchard. Plantra TBP’s will last 6-8 years in the field...and often longer.

Looking down a Plantra Tree Bark Protector - at some good red Georgia soil! The Plantra TBP coils gently around the young pecan whip. The protector will expand to accommodate growth up to 3.5 inches diameter - at which point the Plantra TBP can be removed and re-used on another new tree.

Pecan trees with Plantra tree bark protectors

Easy application - Most pecan trees are planted as un-branched "whips"and then are topped to promote branching at a chosen height. Plantra Tree Bark Protectors can simply be dropped straight down over the whip - no wrapping or coiling the protector around the tree. Installation takes seconds.

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Longtime customer and (more importantly!) friend John Maloney of Cannon River Winery and Vineyard, Cannon Falls MN, uses Plantra Grow Tubes for all of his new plantings.
Last month he planted a block of Marquette vines and protected them with 24 inch Plantra Grow Tubes. Besides the fact that these vines have grown extremely fast, the important thing to note is the incredible consistency of growth.

Vines growing at the same - very fast - rate make vineyard management much easier; all of the vines will be ready for training to the cordon wire at the same time, saving several trips to the field. Another shot showing the uniformity and consistency of growth of these first leaf Marquette vines.

An important point for Upper Midwest and Northeastern growers: Grow tubes are not meant to be "growing season extenders." They do not allow you to plant early by protecting vines from late spring frosts, and they do not protect vines from fall frost or winter injury.

Weed control - For Midwestern and Eastern vineyard managers weed control is a constant challenge. Looking down a row you can see how Plantra Grow Tubes protect newly planted grapevines from herbicide spray, making weed control much faster & easier...and a lot more effective. With recent hot, humid weather weed seeds that germinated since the last treatment have gotten started; the block will be treated again soon. 92 degrees and humid...the growing season in Minnesota isn’t long but when it comes you can almost hear the vines growing!

Growth - These Marquette grapevines were about 6 inches tall when planted last month. The Plantra Grow Tubes are 24 inches tall and the vines are, on average, 18 inches above the tubes. They have grown 3+ feet in just over a month. These vines will be trained to the cordon soon, and John expects to harvest a significant crop from these vines next year - in 2nd leaf!

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